Competition Over the Visitor
by cndrow
Summary: Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.   Eventual OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

*Note for new readers:

Please don't be daunted by the number of chapters in this story! I admit it's grown further than I originally imagined, but I tend to keep my chapters short. I try to keep them to where you can read them in 10-15mins each. I personally like it when an author updates with small chapters, so that's what I did. ^_^  
Also, I make notes at the beginning of each chapter if it contains tcest, if you want to avoid those or skim through them. To each their own, I don't want to offend anyone!

Chapter One

_Sometimes silence speaks louder than words._

Leonardo sat back, frowning at what he'd just written. He bit the end of his pen, his mind heavy with worry. Master Splinter had been oddly quiet recently, and he knew something was bothering his father. But when he had respectfully inquired, his father had just told him to give him a few days of quiet.

It was unlike Master Splinter to be reluctant to talk; especially to his eldest son, and it had upset Leo more than he cared to admit. Leo had tried to meditate more often the last few days to ease his irritation, but to his surprise had found more solace in his journal. He knew his brothers were on edge as well for the same reason, but mindful of his father's wishes, Leo refused to discuss the heavy pall that had settled over their home. A few days had turned into a week. A week turned into eleven days and counting.

He found peace in expressing his worry to paper.

He looked down at the last sentence he had written again, nodding to himself. He knew his father would confide in him.

Eventually.

A knock sounded at his door, and he spoke without looking up. "Come."

"Yo, bro," Michelangelo greeted, poking his head around the door. "Lunchtime has come and gone, you hungry? I saved you some grub."

A rumbling in Leo's stomach answered for him, and he gave his overly-cheery brother a smile. "Thanks, Mikey. I'll come down with you."

Mikey gave him a thumbs-up, a more genuine smile crossing his face. "Awesome, was afraid you'd lock yourself up in your room for most of the afternoon again." Mikey tapped his brother's head as they walked downstairs. "All that meditating you've been doing has gotta be hungry work, huh?"

"Hey, whatever keeps me from not murdering Raph, right?" Leo chuckled, and Mikey sniggered beside him, a hand over his mouth.

Leo quieted, seeing the turtle in question flopped in front of the TV. Mikey continued to giggle into the kitchen, where he proudly presented a decent-sized quarter of quiche from earlier. Leo gratefully accepted it, hungrier than he'd realized.

Low rumblings came from the couch nearby, and Leo smiled to himself. Raphael was cursing at whatever wrestling match he was watching, but with the unspoken rule hanging in the air, he was doing his best to keep his voice down. Leo knew he'd eventually break and be yelling and pointing at the TV, but as he was only halfway into the show, it'd be a few before the shouts started. Hopefully Donatello would be around before then and would be able to calm him down.

Leo tilted his head as he ate, thinking. Why was it the only brother Raph ever truly listened to was was Donnie?

Deep in thought, Leo didn't hear Donatello shuffle into the kitchen until his bandana ties were pulled in a silent greeting. Leo flashed his next eldest brother a quick smile, wondering for the umpteenth time if Donnie was psychic; he always appeared when Leo needed him. He pointed to Raph, who was starting to get more animated on the dilapidated couch, and Donnie sighed, giving Leo a "you owe me" look. The genius started some instant coffee, then sidled over to Raph, putting a hand on his rambunctious brother's shoulder.

"Didja see that? _Didja see that?_" Raph yelled, motioning sarcastically at the TV. "He was open! He didn't even _try!_"

"Moron," Donnie agreed, chuckling. "Hey, inside voice, Raph. You know how our voices carry with these stone walls."

Raph shrugged, waving a hand over his head dismissively. "Yeah, whateva," he mumbled, but he sank back into the cushions, lowering his curses.

"How's your new game, Mikey?" Donnie asked, coming back over to check on his coffee. He kicked Mikey's chair on the way, and the gamer moaned.

"Hey, watch it! I gotta time… these… jumps just… so…." Mikey muttered, throwing a half-hearted kick in return.

"Heaven forbid I mess up your high score," Donnie replied with a laugh, sitting between his two brothers.

"That's the problem; I haven't gotten far enough to get a score yet! Don't interrupt me, bro!"

Leo watched their interactions. Their smiles were strained, their tones higher than normal. They were all stressed, and they didn't even know why. He mimicked Donnie's earlier sigh and sat back, crossing his arms.

"Uh-oh, Fearless Leader's getting into his pissed off pose," Mikey teased, eyeing his brother over his game.

"What else is new?" Raph grumbled from the couch.

"Well, he's not pissed at any of us, so lay off," Donnie replied, then drank half his mug of coffee in one swig.

"That's a switch," said Raph, laying one arm over the couch to look back at his brothers.

Although Leo would've felt personal animosity from Raphael on a normal day, his red-clad brother just appeared annoyed and tired. But Leo could also tell he was reaching his limit, and was preparing for the outburst he knew was coming.

"So can I just say it?" Raph said, swinging his legs over the couch and walking over, the TV forgotten momentarily.

Leo held up a hand, but to his surprise Donnie spoke up. "Whatever the problem is, it's not personal. So let's give our father the mental and physical space he needs."

"And how d'ya know that?" Raph challenged, sitting noisily in the last chair at the table.

Donnie blinked blankly at his brother. "Because I asked him." He looked around in confusion. "Didn't you guys?" His three brothers leaned in, frowning at him.

"What did you ask him?" Leo demanded. "You know he wanted to be left alone."

Donnie held up a hand in defense. "Hey, I just asked if he was upset with any of us, since we were all a little tense due to his uncharacteristic behavior. He said it was a personal matter of his own that he would discuss with us soon."

Mikey's mouth formed a silent "o" as Leo and Raph sat back, each independently wishing they'd thought of doing that.

"Then what's wrong?" Leo asked, staring at the ceiling.

"You volunteerin' to ask?" Raph snorted.

"It was a rhetorical question," Leo snapped.

"Well it was a pretty dumb one, either way."

Leo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. "Raphael, we've all been upset wondering that very question. Don't cover your worry with aggression."

Raph just snorted again, rolling his eyes as Leo returned his gaze to the ceiling.

"I thought it was a pretty good question," Mikey piped up nervously.

"Then perhaps it is time to share my grief with you," said a serene voice behind them, and they turned as one to face their father. "Please, come join me in my room, my sons."

"Of course, sensei," Leo replied dutifully as they eagerly did so.

After they were all seated around the kotatsu, warming their feet underneath the soft blue blanket, Master Splinter brought a stack of letters to the table and sat down himself.

"As do each of you, I have my own personal interests," their father began slowly, almost reluctantly. "As long as these interests do not interfere with our family and routines, I see no need to force you to share them." He looked at each of his sons in turn, who fidgeted slightly. "One of mine has begun to affect us all, and it is time I shared it with you, my dear sons."

Puzzled and nervous, the brothers listened intently.

"I have never told you why I chose to flee to America after my disgrace at the hand of Oroku Saki," Splinter continued. His weathered face crinkled as he smiled. "You will be interested to know I chose this destination because of a woman."

"What?" Mikey blurted out, and Donnie and Raph each clapped a hand over his mouth.

Splinter chuckled. "Yes. During my human life in Japan, I met a talented American singer, a Miss Eve Clover. She has the voice of a thousand angels. We spent much time together the two weeks she was in my country."

Leo listened as Splinter cleared his throat and wondered if his father was as nervous telling the story as _he_ was hearing it.

"Of course, we each had our separate lives across the world, but our young infatuation matured into a fulfilling friendship that we've kept over the years. She eventually married, and has a daughter. Her husband died many years ago in a tragic accident. I have been a source of support for her in all aspects of life, as she has been for myself."

Donnie nodded slightly. He had seen his father drop letters in a mailbox often enough to wonder.

"When I was disgraced, my initial instinct was to flee to anything familiar, and so I chose to come to America. However, on my long journey here, I realized I could never present myself to my friend; my honour was tarnished, and I was penniless. I knew my friend would offer to shelter me, and that was a kindness my honour would not accept. I was honest with her, however, and after a heated argument, she did not press the issue."

Splinter folded his hands on the table, bowing his head slightly, his eyes distant. "I have confided everything to her over the years, my sons. Even our unique history. Her understanding knows no bounds, and her kindness could reach to the stars. She has been a true friend."

"Has been?" Leo asked softly.

Splinter raised his head, his eyes dark with sorrow. "My friend does not have long on this Earth, and I have been debating on whether to grant her only request of me. To visit her before she returns to the spirits."

"Of course you should go, Master Splinter!" Donnie said, gripping his father's shoulder affectionately.

Splinter smiled sadly. "The old ways still bind me, Donatello. And…" he hesitated, "I do not like the thought of her seeing me this way."

"But you know she won't be seein' _this_," Raph spoke up, motioning to his father. "She wants to see her friend, in- in whateva package he comes in." He offered a small smile.

"You… are right, Raphael," Splinter said softly. "It is hard for me to admit that I still have fears, and yet again you teach _me_ acceptance, just as I have taught you."

Raphael blushed, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"So, let's go!" Mikey said, jumping up in excitement and nearly knocking over the kotatsu.

Splinter rose as well, but held up a hand. "My sons, this is a journey I would like to make alone."

"But of course, sensei," Leo replied, gently patting his father's arm. "We will be here for you when you return."

Splinter stepped forward and hugged each of his sons. "Thank you for your advice," he murmured as he gripped his walking stick. "And your support."

"Here, sensei, take this," Donnie said, pressing a cell phone into his father's hand. "We are one call away if you need anything… even if it's just a listening ear."

"I am proud of you all, my sons," Splinter said, his eyes glowing with pleasure. They followed him to the exit, crowding around him at the door.

"I should return in a day or two; perhaps after all this time, Eve will convince me to accept her hospitality for a few nights." Splinter smiled slyly.

"Go for it," Raph said, grinning.

"Just be careful," Leo cautioned, and Raph elbowed him, frowning.

"Must you _always_ state the obvious, Leo?"

"And _you_ two," Splinter said, a touch of steel returning to his tone, "will be nothing but generous to each other while I am gone, for I am leaving Donatello in charge."

"What?" Donnie exploded, stepping back as if his father had just slapped him. His eyes were wide with panic.

Splinter chuckled, patting the genius on the shoulder. "It's only for a day or two, Donatello. You and your brothers will be fine."

"Master Splinter-" Leo began, but his father cut him off with a stern look.

Raphael just rolled his eyes.

"Take care of each other. I will call if I need you," Splinter repeated, then stepped out into the darkness and was gone.

"This should be _fun!_" Mikey yelled, holding up a hand to high-five Donnie, but his brother just stood frozen, eyes like saucers.

"Well, I guess this means I can relax for a few days," Leo smirked, patting Donnie and walking back into the living room. "Good luck getting Raphael to early morning practice."

"Yeah, good luck," Raph snickered, punching Donnie's shoulder and following their eldest brother.

"C'mon, dude, it won't be so bad," Mikey pleaded, pulling on his brother's hand.

"Easy for you to say," Donnie muttered, allowing Mikey to drag him back into the living area. "All you do is play video games."

"And read comics!"

"And do nothing productive," Donnie added, scowling.

Michelangelo held up his hands, waving them imploringly. "Hey, I cook for you guys! It's your fault if you don't eat it!"

"Yeah, it's our fault if we don't have iron stomachs," Leo laughed.

"Heyyyy I'm trying my best for you guys," Mikey whined. He fixed his best puppy-dog expression on Donnie. "I really do."

"Try harder!" Raph yelled from the couch, returning to his TV show. Distracted, Mikey ran over and began trying to wrestle the remote from his brother, who vehemently refused to relinquish it.

Leo walked quietly up to Donnie, who still looked dazed as he watched Mikey and Raph fighting over the TV. "Relax, little brother. As Master Splinter said, it's only for a few days. You're extremely responsible, and I believe in you." He wrapped an arm around his brother affectionately.

Donnie nodded, a hint of a smile returning to his face. "Thanks."

[Author's Note]  
When I originally published this story, I uploaded 7 chapters at once. Normally I use this space to reply to reviews and comments, but you won't see any until starting in Chapter 8 of this story. I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter, and if you stick around for the second one... Well, enjoy the ride! I promise there's not *too* much fluff... And as you can tell, this is not a dark-themed story. Although there are some very dark moments. Hint: Angry Mike is_ scary._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Two

Late that night, Splinter called to inform his sons that after several happy hours with his friend, Eve had finally passed away. Donnie had put him on speakerphone so everyone could listen, and Leo couldn't remember the last time he'd heard his father this close to tears. He told them he would be staying for two more days, and was enjoying the company of Alexandria, Eve's daughter. She apparently was quite upset, and Splinter felt he was needed as support. He ended his call by stating how pleased he was that his sons had encouraged him to see Eve, and told them he would call again in two day's time.

To Donatello's relief, none of his brothers gave him much trouble the next day. Leonardo seemed quite happy to be free to spend his time as he chose, and actually spent more time with them than he usually did. Donnie was thoroughly bored, as he was too nervous to be in his lab for very long. He watched his brothers the rest of the day to make sure the conversation stayed civil. He tried to solve his boredom with a new textbook, but he really wanted to return to his latest project.

Though by nightfall they all seemed a bit on edge, Donnie was all in all very happy to have avoided any confrontation. He felt certain the next morning would be better.

Mikey was yawning as he was dragged into early practice, but otherwise cooperative. Raphael gave him a dark, sleepy glare but stayed silent as Donnie led him down into the training dojo. Not surprising, Leonardo was already there, finishing his morning meditation before practice.

"So, ah," Donnie started, scratching his head, "I'd still prefer you lead the actual training, Leo."

"If you wish," Leo said, nodding, and paired them off, stating which katas to start.

Practice went smoothly as ever, and by midmorning they were all starving. Still stinging from the cooking remark of Leo's, Mikey went into overdrive in the kitchen, promising a robust breakfast soon. Raph snuck a comic of Mikey's from the coffee table and flopped on the couch, half reading and half watching the morning news with Leo.

Donnie was happy to see everyone in their same routine, and quietly slipped back into his lab where he could continue working on his new project. With any luck, he could have a half hour of peace before grabbing more coffee and whatever Mikey was preparing.

Since the lab was soundproof, Donnie innocently tinkered away for over an hour, lost in formulas and calculations. When he finally glanced at his watch he was startled to realize the time, and chided himself for what seemed the thousandth time to not use an alarm. He had six clocks in his lab- why did he always forget to set a timer? Chuckling to himself, he opened his door… to be greeted by chaos.

Donnie stood there, taking in the jumbled shouts as his heart sank. Then he saw something that made him gasp; there was a jagged hole in the blank television set. As he took a step toward the poor appliance, he could smell something burning from the kitchen. Holding his head and groaning, he decided to see what the shouting match was about, as the TV obviously wasn't going anywhere.

To his surprise, Leo and Mikey were the verbal sparring pair in the kitchen.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Donnie sighed, putting a hand on each of his brother's chest to separate them. "Just what the hell is going on here?"

Both Leo and Mikey started shouting at the same time, and Donnie gave them a shove backwards, glaring at each in turn. "One at a time. Michelangelo, why are you screaming at Leonardo?"

"Cause he broke the damn toaster again!" Mikey shrieked, shoving a burnt old-fashioned toaster into Donnie's hands, and Donnie's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Leonardo, I've told you and told you to _not use the toaster!_" Donnie said, his voice louder than he intended. "Do you know how many times I've had to fix this thing? Eventually it _will_ be un-fixable! And speaking of un-fixable," Donnie waved the burnt toaster toward the TV, "who the hell broke the TV?"

"Leo made him do it," Mikey hissed angrily, pointing a finger accusingly at his elder brother.

_"I did not!"_ Leonardo exploded, his eyes narrowed. Donnie could tell it was taking all his self-control to not launch himself at Michelangelo. "As always, Raphael has to have the last word, and this time he had it physically; by throwing the remote _through_ the TV."

"Yeah, well if you weren't such a jerk sometimes, maybe he wouldn't get mad enough to leave!" Mikey shouted back, aggressively waving a spatula.

"_Raph_ broke th- Wait, he _left?"_ Donnie stuttered, shoving his brothers apart again.

Leo crossed his arms in irritation. "Of course he did. Anytime there's a problem, he runs from it."

"Hey, maybe if you wouldn't _make _a problem-" Mikey started heatedly, but Donnie took the spatula from him and rapped him smartly on the head with it.

"Leonardo," Donnie said quietly, "why did you let Raphael leave the lair? It's midday."

Leo smirked, leaning back to stare directly at him. "Because I'm not the one in charge here, am I? I don't lock myself away in a lab when I have responsibilities."

Donnie poked Leo in the chest with a finger repeatedly, his temper rising. "Thanks for the low blow there. Why didn't you at least come get me?"

"Because Mr. Thinks-He-Can-Cook here started yelling at me," Leo said, turning his narrowed eyes on Mikey, who threw his hands in the air.

"Oh, sure, blame me! I'm the easiest target, and you know it," Mikey growled. "For a trained leader, you sure do shy away from your _own_ responsibility."

"You shut your mouth or-" Leo stopped, catching sight of Donnie's expression and blinked rapidly in shock. His normally placid brother, the quiet genius who never criticized, who always stitched their wounds and fixed their appliances without complaint, had a _furious_ expression on his face. Surprised, Leo backed up, bowing his head. Donnie then turned and glared at Mikey, who must've had similar thoughts as his elder brother and fell silent.

"So, what you're telling me," Donnie said in a low, dangerous voice, "is that if no one is here to baby-sit you three to be on your best behavior, you fall into complete _ANARCHY –_," he paused as he threw the spatula at Leo's head, who avoided it easily. "And now I have to fix the damn toaster for the _sixteenth_ time, the TV is ruined and we have _no money_ for another, Raphael is topside in _daylight _and you two are just content to scream bloody murder at each other?" By now Donnie was yelling, brandishing the burnt toaster at them. _"Just because Splinter left me in charge does not mean that none of you have to take responsibility for yourselves!"_

"You are correct," Leo said, his expression full of remorse. "We left all responsibility to you, which is unfair. And, may I mention, that's what all of you do to me on a daily basis, so-,"

_"No, you may NOT mention!" _Donnie yelled. "You know _damn_ well I don't treat you like that, Leonardo, even if the others do. There are no excuses for this mess! _Fine!_ You want to break appliances, do it! I am _not_ fixing this toaster again, nor the TV!" He threw the toaster to the floor and stormed back to his lab.

"_Duuude,_" Mikey breathed softly, staring at the battered toaster, "I don't think I've ever seen him that angry."

"Neither have I. And he has just cause for it." Leo turned to Mikey, gingerly laying a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I let Raphael goad me into a bad mood and I've taken it out on you. I am so sorry."

"And the poor toaster," Mikey moaned. "I shouldn't have asked you to get the bagels ready, bro, especially not when you were angry. I just thought this one time it'd be safe."

"I won't ever touch an electronic kitchen appliance as long as I live," Leo muttered, grabbing a broom and beginning to sweep up the toaster's remains.

"Dude, I'm sorry about what I said too," Mikey piped up as he bent to help scoop the larger pieces into the dustpan. "I was so angry over the TV, and Raph, and I took it out on you too." He sighed heavily. "Guess I'll be playing my handheld games a lot more now."

"I've been watching the morning and evening news for years," Leo grumbled. "It's what I do. Was it so hard to miss ten minutes of his stupid movie so I could watch the news?"

"Well, it is a fabulous movie," Mikey mused, then seeing Leo's murderous stare, quickly added, "But, like, we've seen it at least five times! It should've been fine! I totally would've let you finish watching the news."

"An hour and fifteen minutes, that's all the TV time I ask for," Leo continued, frowning darkly at the floor as he swept. "That's it. And it's not even every day."

"I know, dude. I know," Mikey replied sadly.

"Mikey, I think we should both go apologize to Donnie."

"Agreed, bro." Michelangelo stood up and wiped his hands on a towel nearby. "And I think the sooner the better."

Donatello slumped in his desk chair, head in his hands. He took deep, slow breaths to calm himself. He was deeply ashamed he'd let his temper get the better of him, even if it was justified.

He had failed his sensei; _all_ of them had, he sternly reminded himself. His father should've returned to a calm home after grieving his friend, not this mess of tension and broken furniture. And as the one chosen to be in charge, Donatello had no idea what sort of punishment this fiasco would bring. His brothers got into trouble, some more often than others, but Donnie was almost never kneeling on that bamboo mat, listening to his father lecture at him.

Leonardo got more rigorous training exercises; Raphael was always grounded and forbidden to leave the lair for a week; Michelangelo had his game time reduced or taken away entirely. But Donnie couldn't remember the last time Master Splinter had actually had to punish him. His father often cautioned for his son to not work too hard, and to get plenty of sleep and food, but that was the extent of his father's chastisements. Donatello gulped as he imagined what horrors would ensue when his father returned.

The lab's small doorbell chimed, interrupting his tormenting thoughts. He reached behind him and pulled it open, not bothering to turn to face the door.

"Hey Donnie," Leo greeted him softly, coming around and sitting on a bench nearby. Mikey was following meekly behind him, hanging his head. "We have something to say to you."

"As do I," Donnie sighed. "Go ahead."

"As I said before, you are entirely correct. Mikey, Raph and I didn't take responsibility for our actions today," Leo continued. "I was smug and conceited to my brothers and you, and I am deeply sorry."

"And I let Raph and Leo's bad vibes rub off on me," Mikey added. "And I took it out on my bro here. And I _told_ Leo to use the toaster, so it's kinda my fault it's broken. I mean, I know it pretty much explodes if Leo looks at it wrong." He managed a small chuckle at the thought. "I'm really sorry, Donnie."

Donatello looked up at them both gratefully, his head still in his hands. "I'm sorry for snapping, guys. You know how I hate to lose my temper."

"I know," Leo said quietly.

Donnie smiled. "But I'm still not going to fix that toaster; I think it's pretty much shot."

"No sweat, bro," Mikey said cheerfully. "We'll snag another one soon, don't worry. And hey, we still got the microwave!"

"I'll chip in what I can afford for a new TV," Leo added. "I don't have much, but I'll do what I can."

"The TV is definitely a bust," Donnie agreed sadly. "There's no way I could fix that. A new one is the only way to go." He perked up slightly. "But hey, you know with the 3-D TVs coming out, the regular high-def TVs will be cheaper."

"Far out!" Mikey grinned. "I can just imagine my beloved PS3 games on one of those suckers."

"Maybe we can shoot for one of those, then," Donnie said wistfully. "Maybe even a 22 or 24inch."

"We'll have to see," Leo replied, glad to see Donnie's mind on something else. "Mikey and I need to get back to cleaning up."

"I'll help," Donnie offered, opening the door and stepping out.

"Naw, dude, you didn't make this mess," Mikey protested.

Donnie shrugged. "That doesn't mean I can't help. It'll go faster with three. I can't concentrate right now, anyway." He gestured listlessly at his computer.

"Thanks, Donnie," Leo said softly as he passed by his brother.

Donatello just nodded and grabbed his small broom from the lab and joined them in the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Three

They had been cleaning for nearly an hour when the cell phone rang, and Donatello could swear his heart turned to ice when he heard it. He knew it was Master Splinter calling, and he knew he really didn't want to talk to his father right now. Sensing his brother's inner struggle, Leo reached for the phone, but Donnie grabbed it, sighing heavily before answering.

"Are you alright, Donatello?"

Donnie cringed. He was a pretty bad liar, and he wasn't about to risk anything now. "No, sensei. There was an argument and things kinda blew up and we're picking up the pieces- literally."

Splinter was silent for the span of a few breaths, and Donnie could feel his stomach flopping over.

"Tell me."

"Well, Leo and Raph got in a fight over a TV show- big surprise, right?- Raph broke the TV, Leo broke the toaster, Leo and Mikey got into a shouting match, and Raph stormed off in the middle of the day." Donnie hung his head. "I was in my lab and forgot the time, or this all probably could've been avoided. I've failed miserably."

"On the contrary, my son," Splinter replied soothingly, "you all have learned a lesson, and that is never a failure."

"Well, _we_ have," Donnie said bitterly. "But as usual, Raphael runs off and leaves us to apologize and clean up."

"Then you should talk to him when he returns, as will I," Splinter said calmly.

"Me?"

"He broke the TV, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Then I would think you have much to say to him."

"Oh I do," Donnie said darkly. "I can't fix the TV. It's kaput."

Splinter cleared his throat. "I called to ask each of you a favour."

"Us? Here, I'll put it on speakerphone." Donnie pushed a button and set the phone on the table. The three brothers crowded around it.

"Eve's funeral was today," Splinter continued when he was sure they could hear him. "I am eager to return home, but reluctant to leave Alexandria alone. She is distraught, but not accepting her grief as of yet. I would prefer her to not be alone for a while."

"Okay," the brothers chorused, looking at one another.

"I would like to invite her to our home for a small number of days as she comes to terms with her mother's death. Of course, I wanted to ask my sons first."

"Awesome!" Mikey shouted, throwing his hands in the air. "That would be great!"

"A guest would be a welcome change, sensei," Leo added.

"We haven't had anyone down here in ages," Donnie replied, smiling. "Leo's right; that would be a nice change of pace."

They heard Splinter sigh on the other end. "It would be nice to have a complete consensus."

"Sensei, it's my fault," Leo said quickly. "I let him rouse me into a bad mood and he stormed off."

"Unless you walked him out of our home, Leonardo, the fault does not lie with you," Splinter said, his tone sharp. "Since I must make a decision now, Raphael will simply have to be content with what we have agreed. I will bring Alexandria to our home tomorrow morning."

"All right!" Mikey said, giving each of his brothers high-fives. "Maybe _she'll _like my new pizza recipe!"

"Please remember, Michelangelo, that Alexandria will require tranquility. I am inviting her to stay with us to express her emotions in comfort."

"Well, she's still gotta eat," Mikey mumbled.

"I have a feeling you all will grow to enjoy her company as I have," Splinter replied, a smile in his voice. "In a few short days she has graced me with a varied and interesting personality. She is definitely her mother's daughter. Alexandria will be a wonderful guest, and I trust you all to treat her _and each other_ with due respect while she is with us."

"But of course, sensei," Donnie said. "Just make sure to tell Raphael that as well…"

"Trust me, Donatello, he will hear that and more when I return tomorrow morning."

"Excellent. Goodbye for now, then?" Leo asked.

"Yes, if I need you I will call, otherwise, I will see you in the morning. Take care, my sons," Splinter replied, and then the phone clicked as the call ended.

"Man," Mikey said, tilting back in his chair with a satisfied grin, "is Raph in deep trouble or what?"

Donnie growled, pounding a fist into the palm of his hand.

"I wouldn't be in Raph's shoes for _anything_ when you get a hold of him, Donnie," Leo chuckled. "I got a taste of that over the toaster, and I'm not keen to ever see that expression on your face again."

"Was I really that impressive?" Donnie asked, laughing.

"Dude," Mikey said simply, his eyes wide in all seriousness. "I mean, _dude_."

Leo grabbed the overused broom as he laughed with Donnie. "You really were, Donnie. I was shaking in my shell! C'mon, let's get this TV area as clean as we can."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Four

By that afternoon, the lair was in order again, although the couch looked lonely facing a blank wall where the TV had been. They had taken all the trash up to the dumpster that was near the sewer exit, and the kitchen was finally sparkling. As lunch had been abandoned and ruined, Mikey had gotten down an old slow cooker and thrown a chicken and vegetables in it.

They were joking over their late lunch, trying to tempt each other into a friendly food fight, when the main entrance door clicked. Silence fell over the kitchen, and Donnie's back stiffened with anger.

Odd scraping noises came from the entrance hall, and reluctant curiosity got the better of them. They stood and walked over to see what Raphael was doing.

Raphael was dragging a large and obviously heavy cardboard box into the lair. He looked up as he struggled with the box, his expression sheepish as his brothers rounded the corner.

"Uh, hey guys," he said, his voice strained. "Could I get some help here?"

As one, they crossed their arms and just stared, and Raph cringed.

"Hey, look," he said, gingerly dropping the edge of the box to the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Donnie said, his eyes flashing angrily. "I've seen you in rages before but this…" He motioned to where the TV had sat for years. "This is mindblowingly _stupid_."

"Yeah, I know, and I'm sorry," Raph repeated, rolling his eyes. "It was an accident, Don-"

"Accident or no accident, you need to learn to control your temper!" Donnie cut him off, pointing a finger at him.

"_Okay_, Don, geez." Raphael bent down and picked up the box again with difficulty.

Donatello stepped up to him, now close enough to jab him with his finger. "Don't think 'sorry' is going to get you out of this mess, Raphael. And don't dismiss me when I'm talk… talking to… What is this?" He stared at the side of the box.

Raphael grimaced, sliding the box toward the living area. "Can't you read?"

"It's a TV!" Mikey screamed, jumping up and down and pointing. "A b_rand new_ TV!"

"Where did you get this, Raphael?" Leo asked, his brow furrowed.

"I didn't steal it, if _that's_ what you're implying," Raphael grunted, still wrestling with the weight of the TV.

"Just answer the question, please."

Raphael stopped for a moment, looking embarrassed again. "I had some money saved up. For a rainy day an' all that." He ventured to smile at Donnie, who was still standing frozen. "I gave Casey the money and he went in and got it for me." He shrugged awkwardly. "It's refurbished, which I'm pretty sure that means it was used at some point, but I was able to get more features with this kind. And it's bigger than our old one."

"22inches!" Mikey shrieked with joy, hugging the box. "Let's get it out and see it!"

"Its high definition, too," Raph said, backing away as Mikey began violently tearing into the tape on the box. He walked back over to Donnie and Leo. "Hey, I really am sorry. I hope this helps a little." He looked down at his feet, shuffling them nervously. "It really was an accident, and I knew I had to fix it. Not you, Don. Me." He turned to Leo, who still wore a formidable expression. "And hey, buddy, you watch the news anytime you want. I'll even watch it with ya, too. Without an argument."

Donnie was trying to read the price tag, but it had been conveniently ripped down the middle, and he wondered just how expensive this TV was.

"You should apologize to Mikey, as well," Leo said in a low voice, his face relaxing into a soft smile. "I was angry when you left, and I ended up breaking the toaster… again."

_"Again?"_ Raphael leaned back and laughed. "Leo, you are a riot! What, ya got lasers for eyes? You can't even _look_ at anything in the kitchen without it blowing up!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Leo muttered, though with a grin. "So, ah, Mikey and I got into a heated debate and poor Donnie here," he threw an arm around his brother, "lost his temper at both of us, for good reason."

Raphael's brows waggled. "_You_ lost your temper? Geez. I'm really sorry, Don." His face fell, knowing full well that Donnie almost never got visibly upset.

"Just, please… _Please _don't do that again," Donatello begged.

Raphael snapped off a salute with a serious expression. "Never again. Instead of the remote, I'll just toss Leo at a wall. That'd probably make me feel better, anyway."

Leo traded a few half-hearted punches with Raph in response, stopping when they saw Mikey finally lift the new TV out of the box.

"It's _gorgeous_," Donnie breathed. "I can't remember the last time we had something this nice, Raph." He nodded, finally smiling at his younger brother. "You did well."

Raphael puffed his chest slightly, proud of himself.

"But don't think you're getting off quite so easily," Donnie added, frowning. "Master Splinter is highly displeased with you, as well."

Raphael shrugged. "Meh, I don't care, as long as you guys are happy again." He chuckled as he watched Mikey and Leo carefully dragging the TV over to the wall, treating it as if it were made of glass. "And as long as you guys can forgive me," he added more softly.

Donnie patted his arm. "I think we've all been cooped up in here for too long. We've got lair fever." He tilted his head, remembering Splinter's conversation earlier. "And that's about to change. We're going to have a visitor for a while."

"We are?" Raph asked, startled.

"Yeah. C'mon, help me set this up while I tell you."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Five

After much head-scratching on Donatello's part, and a brief interlude where the brothers tackled Raphael and pinned him down with the new TV cables, the TV was finally in place and ready to be switched on for the first time. They were all fighting for a spot on the couch, as it only comfortably sat three. Raphael finally was shoved off by a heroic group effort and forced to sit on the floor, which he finally accepted with a glare at each of them.

"Ow! Damn, we gotta get a new rug," he complained, leaning back against Leo and Mikey's legs in defeat. "This is uncomfortable."

"Well, you've got a hard ass; shouldn't be too much of a problem," Leo smirked, and Raph banged his shell against Leo's knee.

"Mikey," Donnie said, turning to his youngest brother solemnly, "would you like the honours?" He held out the fancy new remote.

Mikey's mouth fell open, then grinned. "Yes!" Reverently, he pushed the Power On button, and simultaneously they _oooh'd_ as the screen flared to life.

"Our satellite box should work with it, I made a few adjustments," Donnie said nervously. "Try one of the stations we watch often."

Mikey punched in a few numbers, and they all cheered as the channel came in clear, pumping their fists in the air.

"Dude, you shoulda broke the TV months ago!" Mikey laughed, kicking his brother on the floor.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph mumbled, pleased at everyone's reactions.

"Let's see how well the built-in speakers do," Leo said eagerly. "Turn it up!"

Mikey complied, and they all cheered again as the TV roared back at them.

"This is great!" Donnie yelled, clapping Raphael on the shoulder. "I think I agree with Mikey!"

Raph looked up, a rare soft smile on his face. "Just glad I could fix it for you for a change, Don."

Donatello smiled so wide his eyes nearly closed, happier than he'd been in a long time. He reached over and hit the Mute button, and his brothers frowned immediately, looking over at him.

"Guys, let's not do this again," Donnie said quietly. "I know we're all a little on edge from not getting out lately, but that's no excuse for what we did today."

His brothers each mumbled in agreement.

"I get lost in my own world easily," Donnie continued, slightly flushing in embarrassment. "It's really easy for me to forget time when I'm involved in a book or on the computer. I like to focus on one thing at a time, and I'm afraid I don't focus on you guys enough. Sometimes I feel like I let you guys down."

Each of his brothers started protesting at once, and Leo silenced them by talking over them. "Donnie, we _would_ like you to spend more time out here with us, that's true. Right guys?"

"Hell yeah," Raph muttered.

"Of course!" Mikey echoed.

"But don't ever worry about letting us down, Donnie," Leo continued softly. "Because truthfully, you never really have." He gave his brother a big smile. "You almost _never_ complain. Even I bitch at you guys, and I make a huge effort not to." He ground his knuckles into Raph's head for emphasis. "It's just not in your nature, Donnie. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses, and we cover each other's very well when we're working as a team."

"That's true," Donnie nodded.

"Hey, why don't ya bring your laptop out here sometimes?" Raphael suggested. "At least you'd be around. We could tease ya much easier if ya were out here with us." He gave a threatening grin.

"Not a good way to convince me," Donnie laughed. "But okay."

Mikey sniggered. "But, if you're out here, then you can't watch all your porn!"

Donnie cocked an eyebrow, hitting his brother's arm playfully. "You're just jealous; all you have access to is _magazines_."

"Yeah," Mikey replied mournfully. "You're super stingy with your laptop."

"I'm sorry I don't want my laptop eaten alive by viruses," Donnie said, rolling his eyes. "And I can't replace laptop parts very easily, and they're terribly expensive."

Mikey twirled a finger mockingly. "Yeah, you're just stingy!"

Ignoring his two brother's playful fight, Raphael looked up at Leo, who had snuck the remote from Mikey and was casually flipping the channels. "So, whaddya think this chick will be like?"

Leo gave him an exasperated glance. "Do try to keep to your manners while she's here, Raph. She's not a _chick_."

"Okay, okay." He held up a hand in mock apology. "How old is she?"

Leo frowned, still focused on the TV. "Master Splinter didn't say, actually."

"Hmph." Raphael crossed his arms and leaned back to watch the channels flash by. "I hope she's not a _kid_ kid."

"Oh, piffle," Leo said, smiling. "You don't mind kids that much."

"Meh," Raphael shrugged. "I just don't wanna have to kid-proof the lair. I mean, if she's young enough to be chewing on cords and crawling up the walls, that could be irritatin'."

"She's not _that_ young," Leo replied. "At least, not from the impression I got. Probably closer to our own age."

Raphael cracked his knuckles, a sly expression crossing his face. "In that case, may the best turtle win."

Leo looked down at him, eyes blinking in confusion. "Sometimes, Raph, I'm really glad I don't know what goes through your mind."

"Oh c'mon, you know what I meant," Raphael said, nudging his leg. "If she's old enough to _date…_"

Leo shook his head, returning his attention to the TV and resuming channel flipping. "Have at it, then."

"Wha? You not interested? What if she's pretty?"

"Pretty or not, I have enough on my plate with my own family. I'd rather not add to it."

"Oh, get off your high horse," Raphael snorted. "You're not as cold as you try to be, an' I know it."

"Maybe not, but the fact remains I'd rather not explore that area of my life right now."

Raphael glared at him, crossing his arms defiantly. He continued staring until Leo finally sighed and looked down at him.

"Fine, I admit that I'm as intrigued as much as you, but I really don't think-" he stopped short as Raphael gave him a triumphant smile before turning back to the TV. Leo rolled his eyes and clicked the channel down button once more.

"Hey, that's a great movie!" Mikey said, looking up from the chokehold he had on Donnie's head. "Let's watch it! It's not even halfway over!"

"Such a great picture, even from sideways," Donnie remarked, struggling to release his brother's grip.

"You love any monster movie," Leo chuckled. "You do realize they're not real, right?"

"But they _could_ be," Mikey said in fascination, then grunted as Donnie finally pushed him off.

"Well, let's watch this, then it's time for evening meditation," Leo said. "That is, if you agree, Donnie," he added hastily.

Donnie wrinkled his nose in distaste, but nodded. "Yeah, we should. Especially after today."

"Okay, but _after_ the movie!" Mikey agreed, shoving his brothers in an attempt to quiet them.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Six

Michelangelo yawned, then sat up, looking around in puzzlement. He rubbed his aching eyes, wondering why he wasn't sleeping in bed. He peered around in the dim light, giggling to himself as he caught sight of his sleeping brothers.

After a fun-filled evening, none of them had wanted to be the first to go up to bed. They were too excited about the TV, and Donatello had made good on his promise and set up his laptop on a rickety table by the couch, leaning back in a kitchen chair and typing away while the others drew straws to see who had TV privileges for the next hour. They'd all agreed to watch the news with Leo, although Mikey had buried his nose in his PSP during that hour. After that, it was Raph's pick, and they'd laughed together at Saturday Night Live. Donnie had even closed his laptop to watch with them. Finally, Mikey had plugged in his PS3 and he and Leo had played some awesome Halo matches.

Mikey shook his head. When had he fallen asleep? He remembered at least five rounds of Halo, but after that his memory got fuzzy.

Donnie was faceplanted on his laptop, his violet bandana slipping over his eyes as he snored softly. Raphael's head was leaned back against the couch, mouth open, his arm resting on Leo's head which was buried against Raph's shoulder. Leo still held a PS3 controller, and Mikey noticed Assassin's Creed 2 had replaced Halo on the TV.

Bags of chips and soda cans were strewn on the floor, and although he didn't feel like doing anything but crawling into a warm bed, Mikey carefully rose from the couch and began cleaning up. He cautiously picked up the paper bags, not wanting them to crinkle too loudly. He woke up more as he moved around, and he smiled to himself, thinking. It had been a really awful day that had turned into one of the best they'd had together. Funny how life turned out like that.

Man, he couldn't remember the last time he'd yelled at Leonardo. He and his big brother were vastly different personalities, but they got on pretty well most of the time. Leo would chide him for slacking on chores or being late for practice, but they didn't get _angry_ at each other. He felt it was his place to smooth over arguments or problems, and he hated being the cause of one. He was the plucky comic relief of the group, not one of the troublemakers!

"Mmm," Donnie groaned, sitting up and rubbing his face in irritation. "Mikey?"

"Hey bro," Mikey said softly, walking over to him. "Let's get you into a proper bed, huh?"

Donnie closed his laptop with a snap, then looked up with bleary eyes. "Sleep in the lab," he mumbled as Mikey helped him stand.

"But that bed is so small," Mikey protested, trying to steer him to their sleeping quarters.

"No stairs involved," Donnie yawned.

"Ha ha, okay, you win this time," Mikey chuckled, half-dragging his brother into the lab. He got Donnie settled into the wobbly cot that usually served as an infirmary bed.

"Thanks Mike," Donnie said sleepily, curling around the pillow. "Owe you one."

"Don't be silly," Mikey scoffed. "I'll get the others to bed. See you in the morning!"

Donnie was snoring before Mikey closed the door. He didn't figure he'd have any trouble getting the other two up to bed.

He slowly pulled the PS3 controller from Leo's grip, who stirred after letting go and stretched lazily, accidently banging Raph's jaw with his fist.

"Wha-," Raph snorted, snapping his head forward and blinking rapidly.

Unaware of the sucker punch, Leo sighed happily and rolled, curling up in Raphael's lap.

"Ugh," Raphael grunted, closing his eyes again. He gave Leo one unsuccessful push, then dropped his hand sleepily.

"D'aww," Mikey cooed. "You two look so _cute._"

_"Ugh!"_ Raph repeated, using both arms to grab Leo and shove him up and beside him. He shot a glare at his younger brother. "Yer sick, Mikey."

"I'm not the one cuddling up with Leo," Mikey replied, covering his giggle behind a hand.

Leonardo stretched again, cracking his eyes open. "Did we fall asleep out here?"

"Yup," Mikey said, still trying to stifle his chortle. "Bedtime for all turtles."

"Should clean up first-" Leo started, then looked around in surprise.

"Took care of it," Mikey beamed. "C'mon, let's get some proper shuteye."

"Agreed," Leo yawned. He stood and offered a hand to Raph, who glared back. He picked himself up off the couch and stomped upstairs without a backwards glance.

"Uh…" Leo gaped. "What's with him?"

Mikey shrugged. "Heh, I must've ticked him off. You know he can't take being teased."

"And so do you," Leo said sternly as they climbed the stairs together. "You shouldn't do that, you know he takes stuff seriously."

"Well I didn't think he'd take _that_ seriously," Mikey laughed.

Leo frowned as he stifled another yawn. "What did you say?"

"Ha ha, you two were all snuggly and I told him you guys were so _cute_ together," Mikey sniggered.

Leo looked at Raphael's firmly shut door as they passed it. "I wouldn't have guessed that either. Still, don't tease him so often. His sense of humour is immensely different than yours."

"Yeah whatever," Mikey yawned. "See you in the morning, Fearless Leader." He disappeared in his room and closed the door.

Leo stepped back a few feet and knocked softly on Raph's door. "Hey. You okay?"

A muffled curse sounded from inside.

"Fine, be that way," Leo shrugged, and went into his own room and sank into his bed. He set an alarm for the morning, and was asleep only a moment after his head hit the pillow.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Seven

An insistent beeping kept waking Donatello, and he groaned for the second time. He woke up enough this time to attempt to stay awake. Sleepily he fumbled for his alarm clock, but only managed to bat at thin air as the beep resounded again.

"What the hell?" Donnie muttered, reaching for his alarm clock again, then bolted upright, looking around. He wasn't in his room. He was in the lab. Why was he in the lab?

_Bip-bip._ Pause. _Bip-bip._

That wasn't an alarm clock. That was the cell phone.

Donnie rubbed the sleep from his eyes, remembering bits and pieces of last night, then reached toward his desk. He groped past his keyboard, nearly falling out of the cot, and finally found the phone. He yawned as he pulled it open. There was a text message.

_We are leaving to return home in 10 minutes. I trust Raphael made his way home safely. I have been worried. I will see you all in two hours. Please be presentable for our guest._

Donnie frantically scanned to see when it was sent; 6.14am. Then he checked his watch; 7.46am.

He wasn't in the habit of cursing, but he muttered a select few as he jumped out of bed and scrambled to set his bandana on straight. He had to get everyone up and ready! Well, he knew Leonardo would be up, but he wasn't looking forward to dragging Mikey and Raph out of their beds. It was Wednesday, the only day of the week they didn't have early morning practice, and Donnie would bet they were going to be upset they still had to get up.

He shot out of lab, stumbling slightly, and made for the training dojo first. Predictably, Leonardo was meditating on a tatami mat in a corner.

Unhappy to have to disturb his brother, Donatello walked softly and knelt beside him, taking a few deep breaths to wake himself up and to calm his heart rate.

After a moment, Leo spoke without opening his eyes.

"You rarely join me for morning meditation. Are you alright?"

"Slightly nervous. Master Splinter will be home in about a half hour."

Leo moved his hand to cover his brother's, a smile on his peaceful face. "Then why don't you sit here for a moment. You've done very well in our sensei's absence. There's nothing to be nervous over. I'll wake the others."

"But-"

Leo opened his eyes, then winked at Donnie. "I don't mind. I'm used to it. You relax." He stood up, brushing off his kneepads. "And as much as I dislike it, why don't you make some of that foul swill- ah, I mean, _coffee-_ for us?"

"Hey, it's not foul," Donnie protested, then nodded his head. "Okay, well the instant stuff is, I'll grant you that."

"Rest a moment, then start up some of that," Leo chuckled. "I'll wrestle the others down to the table."

"Good luck," Donnie called as Leo stepped out. He felt too edgy to sit alone in the dojo; but Leonardo rarely gave bad advice, so Donnie closed his eyes, settling into a more comfortable position. After a moment, he _did_ feel calmer, and he got up and silently padded to the kitchen.

He listened to the groans and curses floating from upstairs, and he was immensely glad that Leo had offered to rouse the others. Mikey _was_ a morning person, true, but he still didn't like to be woken up before he _wanted_ to wake up. And Raphael… Well, he wasn't a morning person. _At all._ Raphael lived for Wednesday mornings when he could sleep in. Donnie could just imagine the verbal abuse Leo was receiving.

Personally, Donnie was on the same page as Raph. His perfect 24hrs involved sleeping all day and working all night. Although no natural sunlight filtered through the sewers to their lair, nighttime still felt different; quiet, peaceful, relaxing. Donnie was at his most inspired in the wee hours of the morning.

But they all knew the basic, number one rule they had to follow was showing up to early morning practice. Raphael and Donatello had exchanged more than a few choice words together as they stumbled downstairs in the mornings, deprived of sleep for various reasons. They shared a fierce loathing of waking to alarm clocks.

"He picked this morning on purpose, didn't he?" Raphael nearly shouted, and Donatello winced. "He had to come home _this_ morning."

Donnie shared a knowing glance with him, solemnly offering Raph a mug of steaming coffee. Raphael accepted it gratefully.

"No thanks," Mikey said, making gagging noises. He pulled a Coke out of the fridge and plopped in a chair at the table.

Leo wrinkled his nose, but took a few tentative sips of his coffee. He made the same face every time he took a drink, and Mikey kept pointing and laughing each time he did. Raphael and Donatello had a yawning contest, each causing the other to yawn back and forth unintentionally.

"Geez, will ya stop that," Raph muttered, though he was smiling.

"Ca- Can't help it," Donnie yawned, then laughed.

"So what do you think she'll be like?" Mikey asked, his blue eyes merry with excitement.

"We'll find out soon enough," Leo replied, then grimaced as he took another drink.

"Leo thinks she's probably around our age," Raphael added, and he nudged Donnie with his elbow. "Our Fearless Leader doesn't want in on any competition if she is, so it's just us three."

"Competition…? Oh." Donatello flushed slightly. "You have a depraved mind, dear brother."

"What's with the high and mighty act?" Raphael rolled his eyes. "Leo was pretending to not be interested yesterday. You can't tell me you haven't thought about it." He pointed at Mikey and Donnie, nodding sagely.

Mikey shrugged, but couldn't hide his grin. "I just hope she likes video games."

Donnie poked Raphael with a finger playfully. "And I just hope she's not loud, rude, and obnoxious."

"Oh, what's with you guys?" Raphael said, his tone beseeching. "Hey, we all had crushes on April at some point. And if you haven't noticed, women don't just pop into our lives very often."

"And, like April, if they do, they're going to prefer their own… kind," Leo said softly.

Raphael just snorted into his coffee, shaking his head in mock despair.

"Besides," Donnie added quietly, "it'd be her choice anyway. Not ours. So there's no competition between us."

"Speak for yourself," Raphael grunted. "Buncha wimps." He gave them all a smug smile. "You'll just be sore losers in the end."

Leonardo's eyes narrowed, realizing his brother was serious. "I don't see why you're so concerned about someone you've yet to meet."

"Well, Leo, unlike you, I don't necessarily _wanna_ be alone for my entire life," Raphael huffed.

"Coulda fooled me," Leo muttered back.

"Guys, really? At the breakfast table?" Donnie sighed. "We haven't even met the girl and you're arguing over her? Do you have that little control over your hormones?"

"I think it's funny," Mikey sniggered loudly.

"We all should be on our best behavior, and this is _not it_," Donnie said sharply, emphasizing the last two words heavily. "Whatever issues you two have, handle it later, in private. Please."

"I don't have any issues with it; I think that's what Leo's problem is," Raphael retorted, then ducked his head as Donnie gave him a blazing stare. "Okay, okay. Mouth off. Sorry."

"Thank you," Donnie sighed again. "Take out your aggression on each other in the dojo while she is here, _please_."

"But then we'll never leave the dojo," Leo said mournfully, shooting Raph a teasing glance.

Raphael smiled back, his mood lightened. He had quickly found he did not like Donatello angry at him, and he made a mental note to try to avoid it whenever possible. Leonardo, he could handle. Leonardo was predictable. Hell, it was _fun_ to annoy Leo to the point of exchanged blows. But Don... Raphael had no idea what Don would've done if his brothers hadn't been there when he'd returned home.

Raph took a last, long drink of his now tepid coffee. He never wanted to find out what an enraged Donatello was capable of.

"Everyone done? I'll wash these up," Mikey offered. "Hey, Leo, you didn't finish yours."

Leonardo scowled. "Try as I might, I can't."

"You should try, like, a Vault or Redbull or somethin' if you don't like coffee," Mikey said, carrying the mugs to the sink.

"I don't like the high sugar content in those drinks."

Raphael fondly patted Leo on the shoulder as he stood. "Leonardo: our loveable stick-in-the-mud _and_ health nut."

Leo gave him an irritated look, but otherwise remained silent.

"Okay guys, we got about ten minutes, give or take," Donnie said, glancing at his watch. "Due to yesterday's efforts, the lair is in fairly good shape." He nodded proudly, hands on his hips.

Raphael yawned. "Good deal, so we can meet an' greet, then I can go back to sleep. Right?"

"What happened to starting this competition you're so set on?" Leo asked casually, though his eyes were narrowed.

Raph waved him off. "Time enough for that later. Besides- no offense- you guys aren't much competition…"

Donnie slapped him on the back of the head as he passed by. "Don't be so sure," he said slyly, and Raphael looked at him in surprise, but Donnie ignored him.

"Hey, just remember what Master Splinter said," Mikey warned, shutting off the water and turning to them. "I mean, joking about this is fun, but she's gonna need some space anyway, so let's respect that."

"Of course," Donnie nodded.

"Agreed," Raphael added, stretching lazily.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Leo replied. He looked at his brothers, getting their attention. "Come now. Why are we so anxious? This will be a great experience for us all. As Donnie said, let's not worry. Let's relax and have fun. Hopefully we can all help her cope with her mother's loss and make a friend in the process."

Mikey shot him two thumbs up.

"Well, I'm sure I'll be chained to the lair for a week anyway," Raphael said grumpily, sitting back down in a chair. "Not sure if I'll be able to help her, but I'll try."

Leonardo opened his mouth to say something and then cut short as they heard the familiar scraping of the front entrance opening. They looked at each other with wide eyes, then bolted across the living area, crashing into each other as they stopped short around the corner.

Splinter watched his sons rush up to them, and he smiled in amusement.

"Greetings, sensei," Leonardo said, giving a small bow. "We all are glad you've returned home safely."

"And I am pleased to see _all of you_ at home," Splinter said, and Raphael cringed slightly. The old sensei turned and offered a hand to the girl behind him, guiding her over the lip of the door. They each set a duffle bag on the floor.

"My sons, this is Alexandria Clover," Splinter said, motioning at the girl beside him. She appeared to be in her late teens or early twenties, with large green eyes and golden brown hair.

"If you wish, you can call me Alex," she offered, smiling at them.

Each of the brothers instantly noticed something different about her.

Michelangelo spotted the butt end of a PSP Fat in her hip pocket, and it took all his self-control to not let out a whoop of excitement.

Beyond immediately estimating that she was indeed quite pretty by his standards, Raphael noticed her tired stance. He'd seen his brothers wear it many times when they were mentally and physically exhausted.

Instinctively, Donatello looked at her hands. He could tell they were well worn and the pads of her delicate fingers and joints were slightly calloused; but was that just 'gamer's hands' as Mikey called it, or did she actually like to work with them? He was dying to find out.

Her intense aura startled Leonardo. It was different than anything he'd felt, and developed in ways he'd never experienced. It made him slightly uncomfortable that he couldn't read her right away.

Alexandria coughed softly, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Allow me to present my sons, as they're apparently too inept to remember their manners," Splinter said, winking at her, and she laughed softly. "My eldest, Leonardo."

Leo blinked and stepped forward, bowing deeply. Alexandria returned it.

"Donatello." Donnie smiled eagerly, nodding once.

"Raphael." Raph flashed her a peace sign, and she smiled back.

"And my youngest, Michelangelo."

"What version is your PSP on?" Mikey blurted, pointing to her handheld.

"He's one of the more impulsive ones," Splinter added dryly.

Alexandria pulled out her black PSP and tossed it to Mikey. "It's updated to the latest firmware, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "How else could I download games and play 'em on it?"

_"Rock on,_ fellow hacker!_"_ Mikey agreed, grinning.

"Please, come inside," Leonardo said, his etiquette kicking in. He offered her an arm, and she took it with a bemused smile.

"Okay… I know your father is more set in the old ways, but I don't have to be escorted," she said, almost apologetically.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout him. He's more old-fashioned than any of us," Raphael said, walking back into the living area and beckoning them all. "Come on in, the water's fine." He flopped on the couch. "It ain't much, but it's comfy."

Leo gave him a warning glare which he completely ignored.

"Whoa, you got this thing filled to the _max_," Mikey said, flipping through Alex's PSP library and he trailed behind them.

"I'll get your bags for you," Donnie offered, then bent and hoisted them onto his shoulders. "I'll set them down over by the kitchen until you decide where you want to sleep."

"Thank you," Alexandria said, giving him a brilliant smile, and he turned away, blushing.

Leonardo grabbed a few extra chairs and placed them around the couch so they could all sit together.

"We decided we would have an easier journey if we began early," Splinter said, settling onto his favourite backless chair. "The weather was delightful."

Alex crinkled her nose. "Too much sun for me."

Splinter chuckled, then pointed to the new TV. "And where did that come from?"

All three brothers pointed at Raphael, who grinned. "Hey, you break it, you buy it," he said. "I had some money saved up, so I got us a new one."

Splinter's eyebrows rose. "That is quite responsible of you, my son."

Raphael shrugged, not liking all the attention. "It was the least I could do."

"You broke a TV?" Alex asked, confused.

"Hey, it was an accident," Raphael protested. "So I got us a new one. And it works great!"

"Then I can watch my stories this afternoon," Splinter said in relief.

"All yours, sensei," Leonardo said.

"So, Alexandria, are you hungry?" Donnie asked, his own stomach rumbling. "We've only had some coffee, and we put in a team effort to make a big breakfast on Wednesdays."

"I'm starving," Alex admitted. "Although, after a few days you'll be sick of hearing me say that. I'm always hungry."

"Then you have come to the right place!" Mikey said, peering over her PSP. "I'm the self-proclaimed cook of the lair, and I can always use help taste testing."

Leo leaned over and muttered in her ear. "You don't always want to taste test what he makes. Just a friendly warning."

"Gotcha," she whispered back, giving him a conspiratorial wink. She stood and walked over to Donnie. "I'd be happy to help with anything."

She jumped as each of the brothers began protesting at once.

"No, no," Raph said, shaking his head. "You sit and relax, you're our guest."

"Exactly," Leonardo said firmly.

"I'm too energized from the trip here to just sit," she explained. "And besides… I'd like to stay busy." She shrugged, her expression fallen.

"Sounds good to me," Mikey said, reverently handing her PSP back. "Have you made scones before?"

"No, teach me," she smiled eagerly.

"Awesome, grab that orange mixing bowl and I'll get the flour…" Michelangelo threw an apron around his neck and ran to the other side of the kitchen.

"Oh, and we normally make a huge mess while cooking," Donnie explained, offering her a tattered apron.

"Well, that's the only way you know you're cooking correctly," she said, laughing. "Who would trust a clean cook?"

"You have a point," Leo mused, dusting off the mixer. He saw Donnie giving him a glare and he waved the towel frantically. "I'm just wiping it down! Not using it!"

"Leonardo can't use an electronic device to save his life," Donatello explained, jabbing an accusing finger at his brother. "He broke the toaster yesterday. Don't let him operate anything with a cord."

Alex began chuckling as she gave Leo an incredulous glance.

Splinter caught Raphael's eye and nodded curtly at him. "You and I have much to discuss," he said in a low voice.

Raphael glanced back at the happy scene in the kitchen, wishing he could join in. "Yes, sensei," he said, then fell into step behind his father, his feet dragging.

Leo saw the shameful walk, and he gave his brother a half-smile, nodding encouragingly. Raphael just looked back wistfully before he disappeared out of sight.

Leonardo shrugged. Though he felt sorry for his brother, he was also very happy he was in the kitchen instead of getting a lecture. He always enjoyed cooking with his brothers- as long as it didn't involve the toaster- and Alexandria seemed relaxed with them already. She hadn't stopped laughing since they'd started.

Grinning as he watched Mikey sprinkling Donnie with flour, he rejoined their conversation, sliding in front of Alex to keep her from being covered in white flour as well.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Eight

As promised, the three brothers and Alex were covered in various baking materials by the time all the food was assembled, cafeteria style, on the counters. Raphael had finally joined them shortly before they started the pancakes, and they'd all taken turns trying to make the perfect golden flapjack.

They all insisted, perhaps too vehemently, that Alexandria be the first to fill her plate. She seemed embarrassed to be singled out, and quickly piled her plate with some of everything.

"You _have_ to go first," Leonardo said as he waited patiently behind her. "Otherwise, there will be nothing left."

She looked over her shoulder. "I could say the same for _you!_ I'm _starving_."

"You and me both," Mikey moaned at the end of the line.

"You sure sampled enough to keep you going while we cooked," Raphael laughed, elbowing his youngest brother.

"It was only enough to keep me standing," Mikey whined further.

Alexandria finally finished and sat at the table, carefully folding a napkin in her lap. "Will Splinter-sama be joining us?"

"Wha'?" Raph said, elbowing Donnie out of his way to the scones and jam.

"My brother has avoided learning our father's original language," Leonardo said, stacking bacon on top of a towering pile of pancakes. "Alexandria is respectfully referring to Splinter. Much as we would say 'Mister'."

"I don't know much Japanese, or of their customs," Alex added hastily. "I've always been interested but never had the time or instructor to learn."

"If you're truly interested, Donatello and I can teach you," Leo said, smiling as he sat by her. "I learned the language out of respect for my father, and Donnie from a craving of knowledge."

"Good reasons," she nodded.

"It's nice to see someone interested in learning for a change," Donnie added.

"My mother only visited Japan twice, but she has a lot of memorabilia from there." She stopped, frowning.

"I'd be interested to go through it with you, if you want," Donnie said quietly, sitting across from her. "I'm great at inventory."

Alex sighed, her eyes downcast. "I'll have to start doing that soon. Any help would be appreciated. Even if it's just helping carry the boxes."

"Hey, you can't find better muscle than us," Raph said, giving her a half-smile. He slid into a chair beside her and began eating.

_"Anyway,"_ Mikey drawled, joining the table, "Master Splinter has specific tastes in food, and he wouldn't want any of this. He likes his tea and, _gag,_ sushi."

She glanced at the damage done to the food trays in the kitchen. "Well, at least none of it will go to waste," she laughed. "Looks like you four could eat several horses."

"Ha, yeah, we rarely have leftovers," Donnie chuckled.

They ate lustily, eventually going back for seconds, and Mikey and Raph for thirds. The chatter was kept to a minimum as they focused on emptying their plates as quickly as possible. The clink of silverware finally died down, and Mikey leaned his chair back on two legs, patting his stomach.

"That was awesome," he sighed happily.

"Sure was," Alex agreed, wiping her mouth with her napkin before placing it beside her plate. "I haven't eaten that well since… I can't remember when."

"It's our treat for not having to get up early on Wednesday mornings," Donnie explained. "The rest of the week we're in the training dojo by seven a.m."

"Hmm, not sure I would like that," Alex mused. "I like going to _bed_ at seven a.m., not getting up."

"Hell yeah, we got us another night owl," Raph laughed, pointing at himself and Donnie. "Now we're finally even!"

Alex reached over and gave him a high-five. "I do most of my painting at night, I'm just more creative then."

"Painting?" Leo and Donnie chorused.

"Yeah, I paint with acrylics mostly. When I can afford the time, I use oil. I prefer oil."

"Didja bring any?" Mikey asked eagerly, then pouted when she shook her head.

"No, I left all my art supplies at home. That would be a bit cumbersome to carry around for just a few nights' stay." She leaned over and pulled one of her duffle bags to her. "But I did bring my sketchbook." She fished it out and waved it.

"Gimme gimme!" Mikey knocked Leo's hands out of the way and grabbed it, flipping through it. "So, whaddya like to draw?"

"Fantasy, mostly," she replied, blushing slightly as the brothers crowded around Mikey to look. "Usually inspired by games I play."

"Dude, its BloodRayne!" Mikey exclaimed, pointing. "Wow, that's _good_."

"I'll say," Raphael breathed softly, impressed.

"Hey, that's the Portal gun," Donnie said excitedly, jabbing his finger at the book as Mikey turned the page again. "I _loved_ that game!"

"_'This was a triumph'_," Alex began singing, and Donatello joined in. "_'I'm making a note here, huge success.'_" They dissolved into giggles.

Leo and Raph both raised identical eyebrows.

"You remember Portal, Leo," Donnie said, tapping his brother on the head. "Remember the game with all the puzzles and the gun that made the portals to jump through?"

Leonardo's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! That game was actually pretty interesting. I recognize that song now."

Mikey jerked a thumb at Leo. "He's not a video game connoisseur like us."

"So you can draw, and paint, and apparently sing," Raphael said, returning to his seat. "What else do ya like to do?"

Alexandria shrugged, appearing shy again. "I like to read."

Donnie perked up at that. "What do you read?"

"A lot of everything. I'm a jack-of-all-trades, really," she replied. "I read everything from romance novels to biology textbooks."

"Textbooks, oh boy," Raphael said, rolling his eyes at Donatello. "Yer gonna have an instant fan now. Don's our resident genius, he's usually got his nose stuck in a book three feet thick."

Leonardo pulled her attention to him by handing the sketchbook back. "These are really well done," he said, his eyes glowing in admiration. "I do a lot of sumi-e, so I work with a lot of lines. Your lineart is clean and sharp."

"Ink washes?" she asked eagerly. "I've dabbled in that, but never had the tools to do a proper representative."

His eyes widened as he nodded. "I would be honoured to share my small collection of brushes with you, if you want to try."

"I'd love to see a sample of _your_ art, too," she smiled as she slipped her sketchbook back in her bag. She glanced around the lair after zipping it up. "So, when do I get the grand tour?"

"Whenever you want," Donnie said, spreading his arms. "We've actually got a fairly nice sized place here."

"I see that," she said, looking at the tall ceiling in amazement.

"This," Raphael said in a deep announcer voice, motioning at the cupboards, "is the _kitchen_."

Alexandria covered her mouth with both hands, laughing.

"Why don't we all show her different areas?" Leo suggested, grinning at his brother's impression. "I'll show her the training areas."

"I'll show her the lab!" Donnie cut in.

"Dude, I'll show you the library," Mikey exclaimed. "It's got lots of boring books, but it's kinda a storage place so there's all _kinds_ of neat stuff in there!"

They all looked at Raphael expectantly, and he grimaced as he tried to think of something special to show Alex. He shrugged, trying to not sound angry.

"I'll show ya where ya can sleep," he grumbled.

"Why don't you show her our observatory point when it's dark?" Donnie suggested. He looked over at Alex. "We have a specific building we go to the top of when we go out. It's taller than the others around it, and you can see for miles up there."

"Cause I can't leave the lair for a week," Raphael said sharply.

Alexandria placed a hand on his arm hesitantly. "Then show me in a week? Please? It sounds lovely."

"I, uh," Raphael stuttered. "If yer still here in a week, sure thing."

"I have to attend a meeting about my mother's assets the day after tomorrow, but I'll be back after that," she said. "If I don't wear out my welcome."

She flushed as the brothers vehemently protested her last statement. "Hey, you don't know what this means to me," she continued, attempting a sad smile. "I really appreciate it. Splinter-sama was quite insistent, and I'm glad I came down. I guess I would be feeling a lot worse at home alone."

"I can imagine," Leo said softly. "So, relax and let us entertain you. Shall I start by showing you the training dojo?" He stood and offered her his arm again.

"Such a gentleman," she beamed, and he lowered his eyes to hide his pleasure. "But let's clean up breakfast first?"

"May as well," Donnie said. "With five it'll go even faster."

She rolled up her sleeves. "Let's kick ass and chew gum."

"And we're all outta gum!" Mikey shouted in delight, giving her two thumbs' up and she winked back at him.

[Author's Notes:]

Amalia, many thanks to you, you are my first-ever reviewer! I'm very glad you think I captured their personalities well. I'm a complete 80's child, and as such I am a fan of only the 80's cartoons. Even though I also love the comics, the 80's cartoon personalities are nearest and dearest to me. P.S. Angry Don will happen. And it shall be very fun. xD

Piratedchief, I'm humbled you read my story. I'm so happy you enjoyed it! There will be plenty more as I write over the next coming weeks, I promise!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Nine

"Wow," Alexandria breathed, looking around in wonder at the training dojo. "This room is huge."

"It has to be," Leo smiled. "We can get pretty energetic in here."

"The air is thick," she mused quietly, poking a punching bag and watching it sway.

Leonardo tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, turning away from him. "There's many layers of emotions in this room, that's all."

"How can you tell?" Leo asked, eyes narrowed in concentration.

Alex shrugged again, running her hands on the walls. She made a circuit around the room, touching various weapons curiously. Finally she looked up to see Leo boring two holes in the back of her head, and she crossed her arms. Leo was struck by how similar she looked like Raphael for a second.

"What's with the stare?" she asked, her timid voice belying her stance.

"You're… difficult to read," Leo said slowly. "You aura is a swirl of emotions I cannot comprehend quickly enough before they shift."

"You can see auras?" she said, running back over to him. "I had a friend who could do that!"

He shook his head. "Not in colours and such, no. But I can read body language. Yours is constantly shifting."

"Well, good," she said slyly. "Wouldn't want you to know everything about me the first day."

"You're _different_, aren't you?" he asked on impulse, then frowned. "I'm very sorry, that was rude of me."

She looked up at him, her emerald eyes searching his. "Do you think being different is bad?"

"Of course not." He held up a hand and wiggled his three fingers. "I'm a giant turtle. You don't get more different than that."

"I don't mean physically," she scoffed. She sat down on a roll of mats and sighed. "I mean, if you're born with something you can't control."

"Explain," he said simply, sitting beside her.

She looked down at her own hands, splaying them. "Promise not to laugh?"

"I promise."

"Sometimes I just _know_ things." She wiggled her fingers like he had a moment ago. "I get flashes of ideas, or insight, and I just know. Sometimes they're hard to distinguish from my own thoughts. I can't control it. I can't make myself know something specific. It's just… flashes."

Leonardo snapped his fingers. "You're psychic."

"I guess."

"That's why you're unreadable," he chuckled. "I should've guessed that by now."

"It's not a big deal. Well, I don't think it is," she said, frowning at him. "And you said you wouldn't laugh."

He held up both his hands, eyes wide. "No no no, I wasn't laughing at you. I'm just relieved." He gave a self-depreciating grin. "I thought I was losing my touch."

"It's really stupid things, too," she continued, sounding angry. "Like, I knew Michelangelo was going to dump flour on Donatello's head. Wow. That's incredibly helpful, isn't it?"

"Well, you were able to move out of the way," Leo offered, smiling.

She rolled her eyes. "Or, maybe, I'll know what someone's going to say. For example, I knew the guy at Starbuck's last week was going to say 'Good morning, isn't it nasty outside?'" She shook her head. "Yeah, that's _so_ useful."

"It's a gift," Leo said quietly. "Even if you cannot see its merit now, that doesn't mean it- or you- are worthless."

"Mother always told me I was making it up," she blurted, her eyes narrowed in fury. "She _never_ believed me."

Leo patted her gently on the arm. "Then that is her loss," he said softly. "To find true inner peace, you have to accept everything about yourself; your faults, your strengths, and your abilities."

"Wise words," she murmured. "But it's easier said than done."

"I have a suggestion," Leo said, nodding in agreement. "All of us struggle to accept who we are, and who we want to be. When I was much younger, Master Splinter told me I was a natural leader, and as the eldest I would always be a standard my other brothers would look up to." His eyes unfocused, looking into past memories. "Initially, I was very upset. I just wanted to have fun like they did. I didn't want to accept this mantle of responsibility."

"What did you do?"

"I tried many things, most notably ignoring what my father said. But I was unhappy. I was missing a piece of my own heart." He glanced back to her. "I began meditating with my father at night. By quieting my mind, I was able to find the will and resolve I already possessed within myself. Even if I don't always get along with my brothers…" He paused, smiling. "I know my place among them, and I'm always truly happy."

"Again, don't laugh, but I don't know how to meditate," she said contritely. "I thought meditating was for immensely spiritual people."

Leo was already shaking his head. "No, no. Achieving a meditative state is relatively easy, given proper conditions. As with anything, you can improve with practice and achieve deeper levels, of course."

"I don't even know where to begin." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"There are many things you can do to help. Tranquil music, candles, incense, mental imagry. Someone can even help lead you into a meditative state." His smile widened. "I'd be more than happy to do that for you a few times, to give you some practice."

"That's incredibly generous, but I wouldn't want to interrupt your own meditation," she said, furrowing her brow in concern.

"You wouldn't be. The meditation leader journeys with the student."

"Well, if you're sure…" she trailed off.

"Quite sure," he affirmed. "Just like Donnie said earlier, it's really nice to have someone around who wants to learn!"

"C'mon, I'm sure you give your brothers too little credit," she teased, jumping off the roll. "They can't be that ignorant."

"Not ignorant," Leo protested. "They just have tunnel vision when it comes to spending their free time."

She nudged him as they walked out of the dojo together. "Don't forget yourself in that statement, Leonardo. You don't share all your brother's hobbies. Variety is the spice of life, after all."

He tilted his head at her. "Hey, I thought I was going to be the teacher here," he said, bumping her back with an elbow. "And please, we all have names which are mouthfuls. You may call me Leo, if you feel comfortable doing so." He crooked his arm, and she curled hers around it.

"Leo, then. As long as you call me Alex."

"Done and done, Alex." He squeezed her arm gently. "I'd better get you to Donnie. His machines are his life's blood, and I know he'll be very eager to show you around the lab."

[Author's Note]

ninjalover13: Thank you for your kind words! I'm extremely flattered the general consensus is I've captured their personalities well. I actually just finished watching the 2009 "Turtles Forever" movie before I wrote this chapter, and while I am _*not*_ a fan of the "new" Turtles (mostly due to the HORRIBLE artwork), I loved the movie because I felt it portrayed my 80's Turtles to a "T". (PUN!)

Again, I'm overjoyed someone else enjoyed my story. This chapter, and the subsequent three more, will consist of Alex getting personal time with each of the brothers. Much fun and hilarity shall ensue! Stay tuned! 3


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Ten

"Oh good, you're just in time!" Donnie said happily, waving a hand over his head. He was mostly hidden behind a large mechanical contraption that Leo hadn't seen yet. "Put on those goggles and c'mere."

"I, uh, I'll leave you guys to it," Leo said, giving her a nervous smile. He took a step back toward the lab door.

Her eyes went wide. _"Am I safe?"_ she hissed under her breath, trying to stop him. Leo just gave her a thumbs-up and ducked out. She rolled her eyes and pulled the goggles over her head.

"_Pink_ goggles?" she moaned. "Why do they have to be pink?"

"Don't girls like pink?" Donnie asked, his voice muffled.

"This one doesn't," she said, disgusted. She looked around the large grey machine in front of her. "Hey, how do I get over to you?"

"To your left."

"Oh, I see." She stepped over a bench loaded down with tools and picked her way across a series of thick cables, edging around the machine. "Why does this look like some sort of oversized gun?"

"Because it kinda is," Donnie replied eagerly. "Or will be, once I can duplicate it in a small enough version to fit on the Turtle van."

She finally caught sight of him on the other side. Now she knew why his voice had been stifled. His upper half was hidden, buried in the guts of the machine. Gun. Whatever it was.

"Well, don't leave me in suspense!" she said, putting a hand on his shell and leaning forward, peering into the machine.

He jumped at her touch, banging his head on something metal. "Ow."

"Sorry! You okay?"

"Yeah." He rubbed the back of his head, twisting to look back at her. "It's a huge EMP. Electromagnetic Pulse generator."

She shook her head. "Sounds familiar, but I don't know what that is."

"Well, simply put, this thing could shut down other very large machines- such as cars or ships. Hand me that red-handled wrench, please."

She fumbled, digging through the pile of tools at his feet. "I don't see a red one."

"Ugh. Blue, then."

"Here," she stretched, holding it up, and he took it gingerly.

"I swear, if Mikey stole some of my tools again, I'm going to throw all his comics on the floor and walk over them!"

Alex chuckled. "Does he do that often?"

"Just when he wants some attention," Donnie grunted. "In all actuality, I do tend to lock myself up in here for hours on end. I get kinda lost sometimes."

She nodded, leaning on his shell so she could look up at him. "I do that with books. And games. I'm really bad about the whole 'one more page, then I'll go to sleep' mentality. Or 'just one more level!'"

"Ha, you and Mikey should get along great," Donnie laughed. "He fights for his TV game time with a vengeance."

"Well, he's got more competition, I don't know if he'll like that too much!"

Donnie stopped, looking back at her again. "Ouch, you're right. Good luck to you." He sniggered.

She waved a hand dismissively. "That's okay, I'm just as happy with a book."

"I know you said you like some of everything earlier," Donnie replied, his eyes narrow as he wrestled with the wrench. "What's your favourites?"

"Well, this time of year around Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving, I return to H. P. Lovecraft. Do you know him?"

"Do I ever. The true master of the horror genre." He stuck his tongue out as he finally got the wrench to start moving. "He revered Poe. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree there."

"Exactly!" She grinned in excitement. "I also love ancient history. Any ancient history. If it's not at least five hundred years old, it's not old enough for me." She laughed. "I don't care much for recent history, most of it seems boring."

"So, you're named after Alexander the Great, I assume?"

"Yes!" she cried happily.

"And the great city he built on the Nile Delta," he added. "The city of Alexandria. It housed the largest library ever recorded."

"Which was said to contain all of the known world's knowledge!" she finished. She clapped her hands. "I'm amazed! Most people don't get that."

He smiled back at her. "Books- and computers- are my window to your world."

She put her back to the machine, leaning on it. "It's not that exciting up there. Sometimes, the worlds seen in your mind's eye are a lot more vibrant than the real world."

"So you're a daydreamer," Donnie mused. "An admirable quality. All the great thinkers are dreamers, too."

She blushed, glad he couldn't see her from his angle. "That's kind of you to say."

"Its fact," he said calmly. "Hang on, I'm gonna get out of this and see if it'll power on."

Alex scooted further away as he crawled backwards, careful to not jostle anything. He held up a panel to the hole, fitting it in snugly.

"If you wouldn't mind, could you hold this in place while I screw it in?"

"Sure!" She stepped up next to him, placing her hands next to his. "This good?"

"Yep, hold it there." He bent and began drilling screws into place. "This sure is easier with four hands!"

She grinned down at him. "Thanks for letting me help! My dad and I used to work on stuff together. He was a physicist. I didn't quite understand what he did but he always found something for me to do."

"A physicist? Nice!"

"He did a lot of research with lasers."

"Even better! Everything's better with lasers!"

"You sound like a kid," Alex laughed.

"I get that way over things that blow up other things," Donnie chuckled. "Okay, let's see if this thing will power up." He pointed to a control panel near her head. "You can do it if you want. Flip the orange switch."

"Wow, you sure?" she asked, pausing her finger over the angled button.

Donnie flushed slightly. "Yeah."

She grinned back at him, knowing what a privilege he gave her. "Ready?"

"Yes!"

She depressed the top of the button, and the machine shrieked. She jumped back, pressing herself against Donnie, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"Hang on!" he shouted. He leaned them both forward, reaching around her to turn a blue dial. The violent sound settled into a soft whir.

"Whew, that's better," he sighed.

"Much." She rubbed her ears. "Next time I'll want some goggles _and_ earplugs."

"I should've gotten those out," he said apologetically. "You're right, next time we will."

Alex bit her lip, surreptitiously glancing back toward Donnie. She was still clutched in his arms, and she felt heat rising to her face. He was grinning, looking up at the generator with adoration.

"What the _shell_, Don?" Raphael peeked from around the other side of the machine. "You forgot to close the door all the way _again…"_ His voice trailed off as he caught sight of them, and his eyes narrowed.

"Look, Raph, it works!" Donnie pointed at the generator ecstatically. "Now I just have to make it smaller!" He blinked as he caught Raph's expression and gave him a confused look back.

"Well done, Donatello," Alex praised, giving him a quick hug then gingerly stepping out of his embrace.

Donnie blushed, catching on to the thoughts written on Raph's face. "T-the sound startled us," he explained lamely.

Raphael crossed his arms and leaned back, glaring. Alex noticed this and frowned, stepping lightly over to him and looking up at him.

"Hey, you should be proud of your brother," she accused. "Not acting like he started World War III."

"Just close your door next time, genius," Raphael huffed.

"Leo must've left it open," Alex said defensively, standing straighter to look him directly in the eye. Donnie absently noticed she was about a half inch or so taller than Raph as he walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"S'all good," he murmured. "I've done that more times than I can count."

Raphael gestured vaguely at the generator. "Nice job," he grumped, then stalked out of the lab.

"What's his problem?" Alex said, still frowning.

"Of all of us, Raphael is probably the most…" Donnie paused, searching for the right word, "emotional." He knelt down and began packing the various apparatus' on the bench into a foam-lined toolbox. "He is also the least communicative. Combine the two and that makes for some unpredictable conversations."

"But why wasn't he happy for you?" She sat down on the floor beside him, handing him tools to put away.

Donatello swallowed hard, fully aware of why Raphael had stormed out. He reminded himself again that he was a terrible liar, and sighed.

"He was distracted by something else, I'm sure," he said, keeping his eyes averted to the toolbox. "He's _always_ proud of me, and us."

"He has a funny way of showing it," she muttered.

"That he does," Donnie said, relieved he hadn't needed to go into detail. "I'm sure later this afternoon he'll poke his head in and want to know exactly what it does and when he can use it on something." He chuckled. "He likes blowing stuff up as much as I do. Maybe even more."

"Didn't you say you had to make another version now?" she asked, gingerly touching the generator's side.

"Yeah, can't lug this thing around town." He closed the toolbox with a snap and shoved it under the nearby cot. "But if I can make a portable size that's still large enough, we could shut down cars or motorcycles."

"And why do you want to do that, exactly?"

"Well, let's say someone hi-jacks an armored car. Or robs a bank and leads us on a high speed chase. This would shut them down pretty fast."

She nodded. "I see, so it's for your daring escapades aboveground."

He beamed back at her. "Yup!" He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Now that I know I've got the conversion rates and formulae correct, I can begin scrounging for smaller parts to rebuild it. And I can convert some parts of this one to help construct it. It's easier to build something big and make it smaller."

"Well, if you need an extra set of hands, I am your man. Woman. Whatever." She grinned, patting the generator fondly. "I may not be able to wrap my head around your formulas, but I like hands-on projects. And I'm not afraid to get dirty."

"Really?" he said, his voice hushed, eyes wide. "You really want to?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't," she replied simply. "Yes, I really want to. I think of it as building order out of chaos. You made this generator out of a mass of disassembled parts. I sorta do the same thing with a blank canvas and lots of paint."

Impulsively he reached over and squeezed her in a big hug. She stiffened in surprise, then relaxed and hugged him back.

"Don't your brothers help you sometimes?" she asked, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"Rarely. Oh, this makes me so happy!" He let go hastily, a blush creeping to his cheeks. "Sorry. I mean. They're usually only interested in the final result."

She laughed softly, amazed to see him so pleased at her offer. "So when will you get started?"

"Oh, I have to go up to the dump tonight and begin looking for parts." He wrinkled his nose. "You may want to skip that part of the process."

"Maybe," she giggled. "Although a walk would do me some good, if you want company."

"Mikey loves to go dumpster diving too. Master Splinter comes along too sometimes. We make an outing of it at least once a week. We'd love for you to come with."

"After supper, then?"

"Yup," he nodded. He wiped his forehead with a ragged cloth, but only served to smear the grime on his skin. "I should get cleaned up. I'll take you to the library first. Oh, and hey," he added as he led her out of the lab, "just call me Donnie."

[Author's Note]

emmaisemo: Thank you for leaving a reply! Never fear, this story will continue to be updated until it's finished. It's all written out in my head, just have to put it to paper, so to speak. :)


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Eleven

Mikey met them halfway, close to bursting from excitement. Not giving Alex time to bid Donnie goodbye, he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the library.

"I got some stuff together to show you!" he said eagerly, throwing the thick wooden door open. "Just watch where you step. We kinda throw everything in here."

"And I thought the lab was messy," Alex laughed, picking her way around towers of books and boxes.

"I know right?" He pointed to the back wall, and Alex gasped. "Do you like arcade games?"

"Hell yeah!" She grabbed his arm for support as she slid on a newspaper. "Is that Space Invaders?"

"Yeah! But it's not working right now," he said sadly. He instantly perked back up. "But Donnie said he could fix it!"

"Oh man, I hope he does soon. I _love_ that game."

"I've been begging him for weeks," Mikey complained, twiddling the joystick lethargically. "_Buuuut noooo_, he had to finish his latest death ray or whatever it is."

"Electromagnetic Pulse generator," Alex supplied, but Mikey only shrugged. "Well, it's finished so maybe he'll have time now."

"Oh good!" He poked her with an elbow and winked at her. "_You_ should tell him you like Space Invaders, I bet he'd fix it up fast then."

"Why?"

"Well, you know," Mikey said, grinning. "You being a girl and all."

Alex gave a small giggle. "You think that would make a difference?"

"Duh." He tilted his head at her. "Did he let you touch his death ray pulse magnifier thinggee?"

"It's a-," she stopped, laughing again. "Nevermind. Yes, he did."

"Then he definitely likes you," he nodded sagely.

"Hey, he appreciated the assistance." She poked him in the chest playfully. "You should work with him sometimes. It's fun!"

Mikey wrinkled his nose. "He doesn't like me touching his stuff. And your idea of fun is _not _mine. Now _this_ is fun." He pulled a small box over and opened it. Alex could see two neat stacks of comics inside. "Do you read comics?"

"Not American ones," she said, crouching down to peer closer at the titles. "But I do read a lot of manga."

"Pffft. This is the real deal," Mikey said, reverently pulling the top comic off the stack.

"So you're into superheroes? That's interesting," she pondered.

"Why's that interesting?"

"Because you _are_ one," she grinned, and he gave her one back, flexing his arms.

"Exactly!" He paused, his expression sobering. "At least, I hope we still are."

"What do you mean?" she frowned. "Of course you are."

He sat down beside her, squashing a half stack of magazines. "I dunno. We don't go out much anymore. I hate to say this but…" he looked around as if he was afraid of anyone else hearing, "…it's getting kinda boring without someone trying to conquer the world, or blowing it up, or steal the Sun, or something." He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't do bored. Ever." He sighed, looking crestfallen. "We used to go out on patrols every night, but the last month or so Master Splinter has wanted us at home mostly. Raph still goes out, of course, cause he likes getting in trouble."

"I wonder if it's because of my mother," Alex said sadly. "She had a car accident just like dad did, and her health went steadily downhill after that."

"Oh." He patted her shoulder awkwardly. "I'm really sorry to bring that up."

"You didn't, I did." She shrugged.

"I can understand if that's why he told us to stay home, but we really don't do well cooped up," he said gloomily. "I always do my best to keep things happy between us, but I'm wearing kinda thin." He looked up at her, blue eyes crinkled in a smile. "I'm sorry you're here for the reason you're here, but I'm _really _glad you're here."

"So am I," she said, giving him a grateful smile. "I have a feeling I'd be moping if I wasn't down here right now."

He opened his mouth to say something, then snapped it shut. He looked away.

"What?" she asked curiously.

"Master Splinter said you were pretty upset," he said softly. "He's worried about you."

"I think he worries too much."

"He has a reason for everything he does," Mikey said, shaking his head. "We all know that. So we're all worried for you."

"I'm going to be just fine," she said. She reached over and squeezed his hand. "Really."

"Of course you will," Mikey said, smiling again. "Cause we're gonna help."

"Help with what?"

"Y'know. Being happy again." He pushed a comic into her hands. "And you can start by reading the first issue of Bugman!"

"I'm more of a He-man type of gal," she said, sticking her tongue out at the weird figure on the cover.

"Okay, hold on!" He jumped to his feet and disappeared behind a tower of boxes, noisily rummaging around.

Alex casually flipped through the Bugman comic, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, this is definitely not my style," she added.

"Then this might be," Mikey said, cautiously walking back over with a new stack of comics. "I've got twenty-one He-Man comics, and four She-Ra."

"She-Ra!" Alex exclaimed happily. "I grew up loving those cartoons! I even have her action figure somewhere, along with her crystallized horse."

"Oh sweet, if you find 'em I'd like to see!" He carefully handed her the He-Man comics while taking the Bugman one back.

"Hey, these are in great condition," she praised, and he grinned.

"I might be clumsy sometimes, but I take great care of my babies," he sighed happily, hugging the box of comics near him.

"I'll take extra care with them. I haven't seen He-Man in _ages_, this will be so much fun to read!"

"This is so exciting! I can't get anyone to read my comics! Well, I think Raph sneaks them sometimes, but he won't admit he likes them. I dunno why."

"I don't know either. I like comics. It's the best of both worlds; great art and a good story."

Mikey pointed at her, laughing. "Yes! Yes yes _yes!"_ He sat back down, eyeing her closely. "Okay, so, you gotta tell Donnie to fix Space Invaders. Like, ASAP."

"I will," she chuckled.

"Casey has Pac-Man right now, we let him borrow it. Hey, we can go up and introduce you guys soon."

"Who's he?" She opened the first He-Man, scanning it lazily.

"He's one of our best buds, and April's beau," he said. He began skimming the Bugman comic, grinning to himself.

"April? Oh, she's your reporter friend. Splinter-sama mentioned her."

"Yup, we've know her for ages. Hey, sometimes we go over for Friday dinner, we can call 'em up and ask. She usually works late on Fridays, and we like to bring the kids dinner."

"And we're going dumpster diving tonight, I think. Donnie wants to look around, and I could use the walk."

"Far out!" Mikey grinned. "This is gonna be great. No more stuck in a rut for us! I hope."

"Hey, so what do you want me to call you?" she asked, bringing her comic close to her face to look at something.

"Mike; Mikey; _shell_ I don't care what as long as you read comics with me!"

"Well, if you're gonna twist my arm," she grinned back.

Mikey grabbed them each an old chair cushion and they sat together for another hour, chatting happily and pointing out high points in the story they were reading. Alex went through five of the He-Man comics before she finally stood, stretching and grimacing.

"Ouch, next time we read in real chairs," she complained, rubbing her knees.

"Oh man, I should start some lunch!" Mikey exclaimed, checking the crooked clock on the wall.

"Want some help?" she asked, bending down to grab the remaining He-Man comics to take with her.

"Sure! Wait," he said, making a face. "It's Raph's turn."

"His turn?" she said, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I dunno what he wants to do with you though. We've already shown you the fun stuff around here, and he can't leave the lair for a week," he chortled.

"Why not? If I may ask."

"He's grounded cause he broke the TV," Mikey giggled. "He and Leo… Well, they get into a lot of fights."

"Hm," she just said. "I guess that's why he can't take me to the observatory point."

"Yeah. Poor guy. He gets angry easily, but then he calms down fairly quick too. But it's usually too late by then- something's broken, or he's punched someone, or he's said something he didn't mean to." He looked around as they reached the kitchen. "Come to think of it, I dunno where Raph even is."

"I'll show her," Leo said, waving from the couch. "He's in the garage."

"Oh, that makes sense. Guess I'll see you in a bit," Mikey said, giving her a sad frown.

"Oh gosh, Mikey, I won't be gone that long."

"But it's more fun to cook with someone!"

"No worries Mikey, I'll come back and keep you entertained," Leo added, giving his brother a smile, "as long as you keep me away from appliances."

Michelangelo perked up at that.

"This way," Leo said, offering her his arm yet again.

"You really don't have to do that," she said as they walked off together.

"Humour me," he smiled.

"I'm happy to."

[Author's Note]

Gotta love He-Man! And Cringer. God I love Cringer. :3


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twelve

"I'm not completely sure Raph wants company right now," Leo said quietly, leading her down past the training dojo.

She looked up at him hesitantly. "Maybe we shouldn't bother him? He seemed upset earlier."

"Yeah, I saw him stomp past me earlier. But trust me; he'd be even angrier if he was excluded from showing you around today."

She gestured helplessly. "I don't have to be _entertained._ I don't want him to feel like he has to do something."

Leo slowed his steps, giving her a serious glance. "Look. Sometimes, Raph gives mixed signals-,"

"Donnie mentioned that."

"-And even though he acts like he wants to be alone, he really doesn't."

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "So, he's just one contradiction after another."

"Just be around him for a week or so. You'll pick up on his patterns soon enough." Leo leaned down, whispering conspiratorially. "If you want my opinion, he wants to act like a badass, but he's really a softie inside."

She giggled behind a hand.

"Not to say that he isn't a badass. He really can be," Leo added.

"I'll watch myself, then," she said, amused.

He pointed at the steel door in front of them. "He should be in there. I'll let you go in alone. If he saw me, he'd probably just blow up."

"Mikey said you guys fight a lot?"

Leo took a deep breath. "I'm his emotional punching bag, yes. And sometimes his _actual_ punching bag. But that's only because I can take it." He smiled fondly at the door, eyes unfocused. "We were inseparable as children. And as teenagers… Well, we still are, in a way."

"Who's the softie now?" she grinned, and he blushed slightly, turning back to the hallway.

"Have fun," he called over his shoulder as he walked away.

She looked at the door, wondering if she should knock first. Hesitating, she finally banged her fist on the door a few times, then opened it. A radio was blaring, and she heard metal striking metal from beyond her immediate sight. She walked in and slammed the door behind her purposefully.

The music dimmed. "Whateva is it, I don't wanna talk to you," Raphael shouted over the radio.

"Sorry," Alex said, peeking around the corner. "I just wanted to sit with you for a bit. I'll go if you want."

"Oh. You," he grunted, looking up from where he was bent over a van's engine. He studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Whateva you want."

"Hey, I like personal space as much as the next guy. If you want some peace, I'll leave."

"Nah." He kicked a wooden stool toward her. "'Sides, I wanna ask you somethin'."

"The answer is 42," she laughed, squatting on the stool.

"Wha'?"

"Reference from a novel. Sorry. Go ahead."

He rolled his eyes, burying his head in the engine again. He reached over his head to gesture back at the door vaguely. "So, whaddya think?"

"You guys have a sweet setup here," she said, grinning. "It's one hundred percent more awesome than my house. Although the library isn't really a library, per se. It needs some major straightening."

He lifted his head up enough to look at her, his expression amused. "Thanks. But I meant my brothas."

"Y-your brothers?"

"Yeah. Whaddya think of 'em?" He returned to the engine, but tilted his head to listen.

"You want to grill me on what I think of your brothers?" she laughed, leaning forward to put her elbows on her knees, resting her chin in her hands.

"Ch'yeah," Raph snorted.

She smiled. "Well. Mikey is… well…" she paused, thinking.

"Good in small doses?"

She put her hands over her face, giggling. "Kinda. He's very sweet. And earnest. He has a childlike wonder that he will never lose."

He worked in silence for a moment, then looked over at her. "And?"

She shrugged. "And I think he uses humour as a defense mechanism."

"Say what?"

"He uses jokes to mask how he's really feeling," she explained. "He's kinda down right now."

Raphael smiled at her, and she blinked in surprise. "Pretty astute." He ducked his head again.

"Leo reminds me of my mother," she said, putting her chin back in her hands as she watched him.

"Huh? How?"

"Wise, but too concerned with how he conducts himself."

Raphael leaned his head back and laughed. "You got that right, sista."

She scooted her stool closer to him and lowered her voice. "Don't tell him what I'm about to tell you."

"My lips are sealed." He gave her a malicious grin.

"I understand the value of wisdom," she said slowly, "but the wise people I've known are also constrained by what they know. It's like they also have this instinctive drive to be perfect. They need to be needed. They place their personal value in other people's hands. For all their wisdom, they can't see who they really are. It's the _'can't see the forest for the trees'_ idea." She looked up at him, her eyes sad. "My mother was just like that."

Raphael's grin faded as he listened. He sat back in his chair, staring at Alex with renewed interest. "Don't take offense, but you're smarter than you look."

It was Alex's turn to burst out laughing, and Raph looked a bit nervous until she shook her head through the last of her giggles. "I love how honest you are, Raphael. It's refreshing."

"Usually pisses people off," he said, slightly confused.

"It's a rare quality these days," she smiled. "Although you could probably do with a filter between your thoughts and your mouth sometimes."

"Probably," he admitted, smiling back.

She chuckled one more time, then shifted to lean against the van's bumper.

"So, I saw you getting cuddly with our genius earlier," he ventured, raising an eyebrow at her.

She shuddered. "That was a horrific sound the generator made. Scared the crap outta me."

"Me too, almost fell off the couch." He shot a quick glance at her. "So that's what happened?"

She smiled, remembering. "Yes, then he was so absorbed by it actually working, we just stood there." Her smile grew. "He has… Has…" She bent over to look at the engine, at a loss for words.

"He has a few screws loose, if you ask me," Raph said, his voice teasing.

"All brilliant people do," she said fondly.

"You think he's brilliant?"

"Could _you_ build an Electromagnetic Pulse generator?"

"…No."

"I rest my case." She put her chin comfortably in her hands yet again, giving him a smug look.

Raphael just gave her a smile back. "_No one _is prouder of Don than me. I could never do what he does. I just like giving him a hard time."

"You know how I mentioned Mikey has a childlike wonder?"

Raph nodded.

"Take that and multiply it by ten. That's Donnie," she said happily. "There's such a sweet innocence there."

Raphael watched her curiously, until she looked up at him in question. "What?"

"Nothin'," he said, hiding his face behind the engine again.

"You don't agree?"

"I agree completely," he said, his voice so quiet she could barely hear him over the music.

"And then there's you," she said, and he jerked his eyes back to her face.

"No no, we ain't discussing _me._"

"Why not?"

"I don't wanna."

"Well I do."

Raphael gave her an irritated stare. "I don't need _you_ to tell _me_ who I am."

"I didn't want to," she said, giving him an identical glare.

He blinked at her. "Then what?"

She relaxed, dropping her glower and giving him another smile. "I like you, Raphael. That's all."

He flushed, unable to maintain his anger. "W-why?"

"You're honest. Direct. Matter of fact." She leaned forward, putting a hand on his shoulder shyly. "Raphael, my mother was a woman of no small means. She had people kissing her ass just to try to get handouts. As her daughter, I got the same treatment." Her emerald eyes flashed. "I had people I thought were my friends dump me when they realized I wouldn't buy shit for them. I had not one, but _two_ guys date me for my mother's money. They broke my heart. People lie to me just to get what they want." She tightened her grip, pulling him closer. "But you aren't like that. _At all._" She squeezed his shoulder again, hard. "Do you know how much that means to me?"

"I do now," he replied softly.

"Good." She released her hold, leaning back to the bumper again. "_That's_ what I wanted to say about you."

"Thanks," he mumbled, unsure of what else to say.

She combed a hand through her hair, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Okay, so tell me what you're doing to this van here."

"Just giving it a tune-up," he said quickly, happy to change the subject. "We haven't taken it out in a while; I just wanna make sure it's good to go."

"Ah, okay. I don't know anything about engines," she said. "If it's not too boring, tell me what you're checking on?"

"That ain't boring," he snorted. "I love cars. And motorcycles." He looked up at the hood of the van, eyes dreamy. "One day, I'm gonna own a motorcycle."

"I'm scared of motorcycles," she admitted.

"Hey, you ride with me when I get mine. You'll be completely safe," he said, winking at her. "You'll love it!"

"I dunno…."

"Promise me one ride, that's all. I'll change your mind!"

She hesitated, and he frowned at her, looking disappointed. She stared back and neither moved for a full minute.

"Okay, okay. I promise." She threw her hands in the air in defeat. "Just one. A short ride."

"Whateva you say," he said slyly, then pointed at a block on the engine. "Okay, this is the carburetor here…"

Raphael was so engrossed in his lesson that he and Alex were startled when Mikey burst into the garage, asking if they were ever going to come for lunch.

[Author's Note]

Whew, last of the four chapters involving intense Alex and Turtle bonding time. Now the plot can move forward. :P

Also, I wanted to mention, if you haven't noticed, this story is set a year or so before the 2007 TMNT movie. In my mind, there's a gap between the Turtles III movie and the '07 TMNT movie, and floating in that time period is this story. No, I do not watch any of the non-original Turtles cartoons, so if there is story already established in that time period, I'm ignorant of it. Inconsistencies in my story related to the published world is due to my own lack of knowledge of the "new" Turtles.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Thirteen

Lunch was simple fare; grilled cheeses, fruit salad, and brownies for dessert. Alex was thrilled, proclaiming one of her favourite foods was grilled cheese sandwiches.

"Actually, I love anything with cheese," she added after wolfing down one sandwich. "Macaroni and cheese; brie and crackers; cheese dip and chips. Mmm."

Mikey grinned at her. "Good, now I've got some ideas for tomorrow."

"Oh, I have to go out tomorrow, Mikey," she said apologetically.

"But you'll be back for supper, right?" Raph asked. Leo heard a tense undertone to his voice and smiled to himself, keeping his head down.

Alex looked back and forth to each of them. "Well, I- I'm not sure. But I would very much enjoy coming back."

"But- But you _have _to!" Mikey argued.

"You shouldn't stay up there alone," Leo added.

"And you were gonna work on the van with me again tomorrow," Raph said, frowning. "Weren't ya?"

"Okay!" She smiled. "I just wanted to be polite."

"Then you need to come stay the rest of the week," Donnie said, his voice low. "You can't just pop in for a day or two then leave. Not after you offered to help me in the lab."

She reached over and put her hand on his arm. "I'm delighted you value my assistance so highly. I want nothing more than to stay here for a while. I just don't want to interfere with your lives."

Leo and Raph traded amused glances as Donnie blushed.

"You're _not._ Relax, dudette." Mikey tilted his head, motioning at her with his fork. "Like I told you, we're really glad you're here."

"Then it's settled," she said, withdrawing her hand. "I'll have to leave in the morning. And sit in a stuffy lawyer's office for hours." Grimacing, she popped a grape into her mouth. "Trust me; I'll be racing to come back as soon as possible. It's going to be completely and utterly boring."

"So you hafta go?" Raph asked, stuffing half of a grilled cheese in his mouth.

"Absolutely," she said miserably. "There's going to be a lot of men talking a lot of nonsense I don't understand."

Leo frowned. "Take your time tomorrow. Legal talk can be confusing, make sure you have someone you trust to give you good counsel."

She nodded. "I already know the man who governed my mother's assets. I trust him completely. I just have to be there to sign stacks of papers. And I'm sure this won't be the only trip I have to make to do so." She leaned her chair back and stretched. "Ugh, I don't wanna think about tomorrow yet. Hey," she said, catching sight of her duffle bags on the floor, "where am I going to sleep?"

The brothers exchanged glances, thinking.

"You can have my room!" Mikey volunteered.

Immediately his brothers objected, speaking over each other, and Mikey gave them an uncharacteristic glare.

"What's wrong with my room?" he shouted over them.

"It's hazardous just to walk in your room," Raphael accused.

"It's always cold, you're furthest from the heating vents," Leo added.

"And it smells," Donnie said, wrinkling his nose.

"Wow, thanks guys," Mikey grumped, crossing his arms and sliding down in his seat, his face flushed. "And your rooms are any better?"

"Definitely," Leo said, straightening his back proudly. "She can have my room."

"Guys?" Alex said, but they ignored her.

"_Your_ room?" Raphael snorted. "You have no lights in your room. You can't see shit in there."

"I have candles," Leo retorted, frowning.

"And you can't see where the hell you're going," Raphael repeated. "She can sleep in mine."

"Uh, guys?" Alex tried again, to no avail.

"I don't think she's going to like sleeping in a worn hammock," Mikey said, poking his brother with his salad fork, and Raphael knocked it away angrily.

"My hammock is _great._"

"And you think Mikey has a lot of crap on the floor… You have weights everywhere," Donnie added. "She wouldn't survive walking to that deathtrap you sleep in."

Raphael scowled at Donnie, his temper flaring.

"_Hey,_" Alex yelled, pounding a fist on the table. They instantly quieted, staring at her. "A woman is trying to talk here."

They mumbled incoherent apologies.

"Now look. I saw a bed in the lab-," she began, but Donnie shook his head.

"You're not sleeping in there," he said, jutting his chin defiantly. "_I_ am. You will sleep my room."

"Like hell she will," Raph said hotly.

"No you're not, Donnie," Leo frowned.

Mikey just slumped further in his chair, looking defeated.

"I can sleep in there just fine, Donnie," Alex said, spreading her hands, hoping to calm them down. "It's plenty big, and I'd feel safe in there."

Boldly, Donnie reached over and grabbed her hand to get her full attention. "I have slept in there countless nights. I'm quite comfortable in there. My room is just as safe, and a lot warmer. And cleaner." He smiled into her eyes. "My only clutter is books lining the walls. There's a lock on my door for your privacy. My bedroom is closer to the restroom than the lab. And Leo and Raph's rooms are to either side should you need anything during the night."

Leonardo sat back in his chair, watching Donnie intently. He was used to his brother being gentle, but that was usually when one of them was injured or upset. He could easily tell Donatello had already thought this out, and Leo smiled as he watched Alex stutter, trying to convince him to let her stay in the lab. His brother was quite taken with their guest.

Raphael leaned forward, winding up to argue again, and Leo put out a hand on his arm. He tugged gently, and Raph turned to him, a retort on the tip of his tongue. Leonardo shook his head ever so slightly, his eyes locked on Raph's. Unspoken words passed between them, and Raphael sighed, nodding back.

"But I don't want to put you out," Alex pleaded.

"And I'm telling you, you aren't," Donnie replied calmly. "I don't trust any of my brothers in the lab, so I'll sleep there myself." He grinned teasingly at his brothers, and Alex chuckled.

"Whatever you think is best," she finally acquiesced.

Donnie turned a fierce glare on his brothers, expecting resistance but to his surprise finding none. "Agreed?"

"Agreed," Leo said, standing and grabbing one of her bags. "Let's take these upstairs and you can settle in."

"Is the fight over?" Mikey said, giving Alex a sly look as he picked up the other bag. "I was just about to start some popcorn!"

"Next time, Mikey," she said, winking at him.

"Say, I've an idea," Donnie said, walking backwards up the stairs as he led them all up, "instead of dumpster diving, why don't we grab some of your painting supplies tonight? We can clear a space for an easel or table by the TV."

Alex tilted her head, pondering. "That sure would be nice. But my house is quite a distance away, it's on the outskirts of the city."

"We'll make it an adventure," Leo said, excited at the idea of going topside. "Then if you want anything else, we can get it after your meeting tomorrow."

"But…" She frowned, her steps slowing. She looked over at Raphael.

"But what?" Mikey said, nearly skipping in his enthusiasm.

Raphael caught her glance, and he gave her a half smile. "Go for it. I'll help you set it up when you get home."

Leonardo fell a step behind them, his expression softening. Her thoughtfulness was touching.

"Madam, your new abode," Donnie presented, opening his door and bowing.

"You weren't kidding about the books," she said in wonder. Every wall was lined with shelves which strained under the weight of stacks and stacks of books.

"This wall is fiction," he pointed, following her inside. "That's non-fiction and history. That one and those behind the bed are textbooks and manuals."

Leo and Mikey set her bags on the bed, and it creaked softly.

"That reading lamp doesn't work, but the other two do," Donnie added. "And if you keep going down the hall, the restrooms are on your right, just after Leo's room."

"It's really nice. Thank you, Donnie," she said, giving him a quick hug.

"We'll give you a moment to situate yourself," Leo said, urging his brothers out of the small room. "We'll be downstairs."

"Thanks," she said again, and they quietly closed the door behind them.

"Nice move, Donnie," Leo said, punching his brother lightly on the arm.

"I am not without my cunning," he said, winking at them.

Raphael snorted, though he was grinning.

"_Soooo,_" Mikey said as he slid down the banister ahead of them, "what do you guys think of her?"

[Author's Note]

Oooh, cliffhanger! Next chapter you'll get to see what the brother's think- or at least, what they'll say- about Alex. And will Splinter let them go out on this proposed adventure tonight? Hmm.

And OH MY GOSH, 162 visitors to my silly little story in just four days? Goodness. I am truly humbled.

emmaisemo: _Thank you_ for your continued reviews! My little writing demon is fueled by reviews, no matter how long or short they are. Halp, you're feeding him too much. .


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Fourteen

Leonardo frowned. "I don't think we should be talking about our guest behind her back."

"Oh relax," Raphael said, rolling his eyes.

"We aren't talking bad about her," Mikey scoffed, swinging his legs from the end of the railing. He gave them a surprised look. "I mean, unless you guys don't like something about her."

"Of course not," Donnie said sharply. "She's wonderful."

"You just want a lab assistant," Raphael scoffed, waving a hand dismissively at his brother. To his surprise, Donnie gave him an irritated glance. Raphael returned it, then snapped his fingers, pointing at him.

"You _like_ her!" Raph crowed, laughing.

"So do you," Donnie shrugged. He turned away and walked toward the TV. Raph trailed behind him, teasing.

"So do I!" Mikey added, grinning. "What about you, Fearless Leader?"

"I don't think that's quite what Raph meant, little brother," Leo said in a soft voice, nodding his head toward the other two, who had started to bicker.

"Ohhh," Mikey said, smiling. "He meant, like, _like_ like."

"Ugh. Even for _you_, that sentence was _awful_," Leonardo laughed, giving his brother a noogie as he dragged him over to the couch.

"Okay guys, break it up," Leo said, moving to stand between the staring match. "Let's not get carried away."

"Hmph. Tell him that," Donatello scowled.

Raphael peeked around Leo, looking completely smug. "Mr. Wizard has changed his tune then?"

Leo put a hand on Raph's shoulder. "Don't make our guest a source of contention between us, Raphael."

"I'm not. She just _is,_" Raph said arrogantly.

Donnie turned toward the TV and slid down in his seat, not wanting to argue.

"She is what?" said a voice behind them, and they sucked in their breaths as one, turning to look at their father. "She _is_ a delight to have around, is she not?"

"Most definitely," Leo agreed hastily.

"I trust you are all making her feel welcome?" Splinter asked, coming around to sit by Donnie on the couch.

"Yup. It's like she already belongs here," Mikey said, grinning.

"We took her stuff up to my room," Donnie added. "She's going to sleep there." He turned his head and shot Raphael a smirk, and Raph crossed his arms, barely holding his tongue.

"And where will you sleep, Donatello?"

"In the lab." He chuckled. "I know you chide me for sleeping in there on late nights, but this way she can have her own room when she's here."

"Very kind of you," Splinter replied, nodding. "Now, where's the remote…?"

"Actually, sensei, we had something we wanted to ask you before you watch your, ah, stories," Leo said, burying his hand between two cushions and fishing out the TV remote. He handed it over.

"Yes?"

"Alex says she'd like to stay down here for a while," Donnie said happily. "We offered to bring some of her art supplies down to the lair."

"We would like to help her get those tonight, so we can get her truly settled in," Leo added eagerly.

Splinter stared at the blank TV, obviously thinking it over.

"She said she'd stay through the end of the week at least!" Mikey said. "And she really likes to paint. So if we get her stuff down here, she might stay even longer!"

Splinter chuckled. "If she wishes it, you three may go with her this afternoon." He nodded at Raphael. "You can scrub this area so she will have a clean workstation."

Raphael gave a half-smile. "Can't believe I'm gonna enjoy cleaning for once. Move it, Don." He tapped a foot impatiently as Donnie gave him a confused look, then stood up and moved behind the couch.

"Gonna sit for a bit," he said, smiling at his father. "Then I'll get started while you goons are gone."

"Let's get our coats!" Mikey said, and they raced to the closets down the hall.

"So, I didn't get to answer earlier," Leo said in a low voice, sharing a smile with his brothers. "I am loving Alex's company. I think she's interested in meditating with me. I think that would help her grief."

"And give you quality time with her," Mikey winked. "She reads comics with me! And she doesn't patronize me. And she's _really_ smart. I mean, really." He looked at Donatello, who was pulling a hat low over his head. "Isn't she, Donnie?"

"Quite," he agreed quietly, glad that his hat hid his blush.

"You seem fond of her," Leo said in a neutral voice, threading his arms into his coat.

"Aren't you?" Donnie responded with a question.

"I asked you," Leo said gently.

Donnie shrugged. "Yeah. She seems to make Raph more crazy than usual, though."

Mikey leaned against the wall. "I think I know why."

"Why's that?" Donnie asked. "Because it's annoying."

"She likes all of us," Mikey said cryptically.

"I don't understand," Donnie said, frowning.

"Raph wants her to like _him_ the most. But she clearly likes spending time with all of us."

Donatello snorted, sounding a lot like Raph.

"He's been different recently," Leo said quietly. "Every little thing sets him off. I know he has a temper, but push come to shove he's always respected my authority, however reluctantly. But he's been belligerent and confrontational lately." He sighed, resting his shell on the wall next to Mikey. "We've always been so close. Now he's pulling away from me, and I don't know why."

"We have been cooped up at home," Donnie reminded him, his expression concerned. "I'm sure that's all it is."

"This new attitude started before that."

"I dunno, bro," Mikey said sadly. "Guess it's just a phase."

"I hope that's all it is," Leo said, shaking his head. "But enough of my doom and gloom! We're going to have a lot of fun tonight."

Mikey whooped and ran back down the hallway.

"Hell yeah," Donnie said. Leo noticed his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about what I said," Leo added, putting his arm around his brother. "It will all come out in the wash."

Donnie shrugged, and Leo got the impression his brother was staying silent on purpose.

"Donnie?"

"Yes?"

Leonardo lowered his voice. "Do you know what's going on?"

"I… have an idea," Donatello said hesitantly. "Please, Leo, I don't want to talk about it. You know I can't lie."

Leo fought back a wave of irritation. "Maybe later tonight?"

"No."

"Sometime?"

"Yeah, sometime." Donnie's eyes were pleading.

"Okay." He squeezed his brother's shoulders affectionately. "No more third degree. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Donnie." He gave him a grin. "Now let's go have fun."

"Thanks, Leo," Donnie almost whispered, smiling back.

[Author's Note]

Icecreampopstar: Hey, thanks for reading! This chapter ended up not quite turning out as I'd thought it would, but at least they all got in their own comments about Alex. We all know what's on Raph's mind, anyway. *snerk*

ninjalover13: Oh my, thank you for the compliment. I was hoping the story wouldn't go downhill as my OC became a bigger part of the story. I hope my readers like Alex! And lookie here, another bit of a cliffhanger. I try to avoid those, but Donnie is being secretive. Grr.

April: Thank you! *bows* Don't worry, more comes as soon as I can write it down. It's all in my head, just have to have the time to get it written and uploaded. :D


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

Rated T currently for mild language; later chapters will be rated M for adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Fifteen

The subway journey was uneventful, though quite enjoyable. They kept to themselves as much as possible, moving in pairs to find the emptiest cars before settling in. Mikey kept them entertained by pointing out passengers they'd seen and creating outlandish stories about them. Eventually they all joined in, taking turns imagining the fantastic and bizarre jobs the strangers had.

Once they reached the end of the line, they trooped up the long stairway and hailed a taxi. Alex sat in the front, not wanting to draw attention to the excited brothers, who agreed to squeeze in the back. The traffic grew lighter as they reached the countryside, and soon they were pulling up the driveway of a three story brick house.

"That's your house? _Dude,_" Mikey sighed in wonder.

"It's huge!" Leo said as he scrambled to get out of the car first. He opened Alex's door with a flourish, offering her a hand.

"It's _too_ big," Alex complained as she paid the driver. "You should try cleaning it sometime. Mother had maids come only once a week and she wanted the house spotless _all _the time. Guess who got to dust every other day?"

"Well, it looks lovely, all the same," Donnie said.

Alex just shrugged as they walked up to the impressive front door. "I just can't wait to sell it." She fished a set of keys from her jacket pocket.

"You want to sell it?" Leo asked incredulously. "Why?"

"Too many bad memories," she muttered, turning the key in the lock and walking in. "There's something you need to understand about my mother." She twirled to face them, flipping on a set of hall lights. The harsh illumination outlined her angered expression.

"Look, I respect your father, and his opinions," she continued, eyes narrowed. "But my mother was careful to only let people see what she wanted them to see. She could be incredibly… _cruel._" She spun on her heel and stomped away, touching lamps as she went, lighting them.

The brothers frowned at each other, a bit unnerved. Leo hurried ahead, catching up to her.

"Hey, we didn't mean-," he began, but she cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"It's okay." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"Of course you should've," Donnie said quietly as he and Mikey came up to them. "We don't judge you. We're here to listen."

"And help," Mikey reminded her, nodding.

Alex sagged into a nearby armchair, head in her hands. "I'm a horrible daughter," she whispered, and Donnie knelt beside her, patting her knee.

"Why would you say such a thing?" he asked.

"Because sometimes I think I'm very glad she's gone!" she said vehemently. "Alexandria, dust the second floor. Alexandria, fix my computer. Alexandria, you are imagining things. Alexandria, you must live up to your father's expectations. Alexandria, you are a disgrace to our family. Alexandria, you're wasting your life painting. _Alexandria, you'll never make it._" Her shoulders shook. "I shouldn't have come home. I _hate_ this place!"

"Lexi, it's okay," Donatello said soothingly, petting her hair softly. "It's best to get this out. You're among friends."

"W-what did you call me?" she sniffed, spreading her fingers to look at him.

He shrugged, looking embarrassed. "You don't look like an Alex to me. It's not… not feminine enough."

"I've always signed my name Lexi," she said quietly. "No one's ever seemed to notice. They just call me Alex. My parents thought it was silly."

"I don't," he smiled, still stroking her hair. "I hope you don't mind."

"No." She sighed, wiping her eyes. "Okay, pity party is over. Let's get my stuff and go."

Leo put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Take your time. We're not in a rush."

"I know." She looked at each of them in turn. "I just don't want to stay here for long. I'm really sorry."

"Don't say that," Mikey said, looking offended. "You don't ever have to apologize for telling us how you're feeling."

"I just didn't realize how much I appreciated not being here," she grumbled. "My studio is at the end of this wing."

"Wow, this is nice," Mikey grinned as she swung a door open. "Are these your paintings?"

"Well the Venus de Milo print obviously isn't," she said dryly. "And that's Edward Gorey, and that's Escher's endless staircase. Otherwise, yes."

"They're beautiful," Donnie said reverently, stopping to admire a portrait of a forest nymph.

"And so much variation," Leo noted. "Your subjects aren't as limited as you led us to believe."

"Well, they all have a fantasy theme," she shrugged. "I have trouble drawing or painting anything I consider boring. That's why I have problems doing commissions at times."

"Okay," Mikey said, rubbing his hands together excitedly, "what needs packin'?"

Alex set the brothers to work, folding down an easel and carefully wrapping her brushes. She picked which acrylic paints she needed and packed them in a small plastic box. By the time they had everything gathered, Alex was in much better spirits, though she kept throwing nervous glances toward the door.

"Are you feeling alright?" Leo asked quietly, pulling her aside. Donnie and Mikey were busy snapping the last leg of the easel together.

"Just hoping we can leave before there's company," she said. "Y'see, there's this guy-,"

The doorbell rang, interrupting her, and she groaned.

"And that's probably him. Such a fucking stalker," she cursed. "I'll be right back."

Leonardo exchanged glanced with his brothers after she left, and as one they silently crept out of the room and down the hallway, staying in the shadows. Donnie palmed a hand mirror from a bathroom as they crept forward slowly.

"Chuck," they heard Alex sigh. "Just the creeper I expected."

"You're not answering your phone," a male voice replied.

"Can't you take a hint?" Alex retorted sharply. "I want to be left alone. So leave. And take your cheap flowers with you."

"Alex," the man said beseechingly. "C'mon. You were there for me when my mom had her heart attack, remember? I- I wanna be here for you."

Donnie silently passed the mirror to Leo, who used it to look around the corner. Then he swapped positions with Mikey, who rolled his eyes and swapped with Donnie.

Alex was standing in the middle of the front door, hands on her hips, tapping a foot angrily. From what Donnie could see of the visitor, the man was about her age, slightly taller than her, and somewhat overweight. His black hair was curly, though short. He was holding a bouquet of red flowers.

"Chuck, this may come as a surprise, but I don't want you here. Or need you at all." She sounded disgusted, and Donnie's eyes narrowed. Who was this guy?

"Look, I know we said some harsh words to each other," the man continued. "But… Fuck, Alex, my life is complete shit without you."

"Gosh, you're such a charmer," Alex said sarcastically. "Read my lips. I. Don't. Need. You."

"But I need _you_, Alex," the man said, giving her a too-smug smile. "Are you going to throw away four years of friendship?"

"No." She sighed and shook her head.

Donnie felt his heart sink.

"I'm throwing away four years of supporting your goddamn lazy ass," she hissed angrily, and Chuck took a step back. "Four years of me being your emotional support. Of buying your games and books and dinners. Of always having to drive an hour and a half just for a date and never being picked up. Of being treated like I was your little sugar momma whore."

"Alex, I think you're just really upset," Chuck said, holding his hands up defensively.

"You got that right, genius," she snapped. "Now let me put this in small, crude words so your tiny mind can get the message. Get the fuck off my lawn and stop following me around or I'm getting a goddamn restraining order!"

"God, Alex," Chuck scowled, "what's wrong with you? Calm the fuck down."

"Calm down?" Alex grabbed the front door. "You better back the fuck up or I'm going to slam this door into your fat face."

"Alex-," he began, though he did take another step back. She slammed the door so hard the walls reverberated.

"Now get out of here, you insensitive prick!" she yelled at the door, then turned and walked toward them. They scrambled to get back to the art room, but Alex moved faster. She rounded the corner and they froze in mid-step, halfway down the hall.

She smiled, then laughed. "Guess you heard that, huh?"

"Kinda impossible not to," Mikey admitted, grinning.

"I dated that pile of slime for a few years," she said in disgust. "Biggest creep on the planet. I swear he's got people watching the house."

"That is serious," Leo said quietly as they followed her back into the studio.

"I agree. That's why I'm doubly glad to be spending time with you guys." She hoisted her paint box on her shoulder, and the brothers hastily grabbed the rest of the supplies.

"Hey guys?" she said softly, getting their attention. "As you can tell, I've, ah, got a fairly bad temper. But I promise it's hard to get me riled to the point I'm truly angry." She jerked a thumb toward the front door. "I don't blow up like that often."

The three brothers looked back at her with wide eyes, nodding respectfully.

"Really, I'm not a dragon," she said, frowning. "I mean, take Chuck for example. He _is_ an asshole, but it's _my_ fault I stayed with him for so long. So a lot of that outburst was anger at myself as much as him."

"A mature way to look at it," Leo said, venturing to smile. "But all the same, I'd rather not get on your bad side."

"You can't," she said, grinning. "None of you can." She leaned on him, giving Leo a hug, causing him to blush. "You guys are normal."

"I don't think I've ever heard that word applied to _us,_" Donnie chuckled.

"I have a question," Mikey said, pouting.

"What's that?"

"Why do they get all the hugs?" he whined, and Alex laughed, dropping her paint box and swooping him in an embrace.

"That's better," he giggled.

"Think we can manage all this stuff on the subway?" she said, capturing her box again from the floor.

"Should be fine," Leo nodded. "We'll be careful, and we should be missing the big crush."

"Then let's get back. The sooner we quit this house, the better," she said, and they raced to the front door, eager to leave.

[Author's Note]

Yay, plot and character development! Bit less fluff and more intensity from this point onward, now that everyone is established.

This also means more mature content is forthcoming soon, and the rating is going to change from T to M as well. This is one of your last chances to leave before turtlecest sets in. I would not be offended in the least if anyone chose to quit reading for this reason- to each his own! For those that stay, I hope you continue to enjoy the ride… :3


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Sixteen

"_We're hooome,_" Mikey sang after swinging open the lair door.

"'Bout time!" Raphael yelled back, waving from the couch.

"Hey Raph, you hungry?" Alex said, skipping inside. She held up several pizza boxes, grinning.

"Hell yeah!" He jumped off the couch and rushed over to take the food from her. "I'll set these in the kitchen. Didja get everything?"

"This will do for now," she said. "Oh, is this for me?" She pointed at the black desk by the TV.

"Yep, all yours."

She set her paint box on the table, and the others set her supplies by it. "Hey, thanks for the dropcloth too," she added, toeing the checkered tablecloth on the ground.

"Good for painting, Master Splinter said," Raph said, smiling. "Get over here, or I'm gonna eat without ya!"

"Coming!" Donnie said, and they ran over, pushing Alex to the front. She started to say something, then looked at their determined faces. She shrugged and just grabbed a plate, filling it quickly with three different slices of pizza. The brothers went after her, nearly emptying the boxes on the first round.

"Sprinkles?" Donnie offered, and she blinked at him, looking at the little bottle.

"Sprinkles?" she asked. "You put sprinkles on your pizza?"

"Doesn't everybody?" Mikey grinned.

"Uh. No thanks, Donnie," she said, laughing. "Sorry, I like my pizza boring. Just cheese and pepperoni for me."

"Boring is right," Raphael said, spooning whipped cream onto his slices.

"We eat our meal and dessert at the same time this way," Leo chuckled, putting a handful of chocolate chips on his.

"Interesting idea," she mused. "I'm particular about what I like. You might be able to convince me to try that eventually, though."

"So Alex," Mikey said, his brow furrowed in thought, "I've been wondering. We got your paints, your brushes, and your easel. But, like, what are you going to paint _on?_"

"Oh, I'm going to get some small canvases on the way home tomorrow," she said. "It'll be a treat after my meeting."

"Speaking of which," Donnie said, frowning, "I'm worried about you going tomorrow, Lexi. Would you like one of us to shadow you?" He held up a hand. "I promise we wouldn't interfere with whatever you need to do."

"I should be fine, Donnie."

"I think it's a good idea," Leo scowled. "After seeing that Chuck guy, I'm worried too."

"Chuck?" Raph asked, matching Leo's scowl. "Who's that?"

"An ex," Alex sighed. "A particularly nasty one. I know how to pick 'em."

"I'll say," Mikey snorted, then looked up at her, eyes wide. "No offense!"

"Hmph. He's an asshole. He showed up at the house shortly after we got there," Alex explained. "I really think he watches the house."

"Stalker?" Raph asked, an eye twitching angrily. "Someone should definitely watch you tomorrow." He punched a fist into his other hand. "Wish I could do it."

"You can next week, if you still think I need an escort," she said with an amused smile. "But guys, really, I'll be safe."

"_We_ would feel better," Leo said gently. "We know just how _'safe'_ the streets are."

"Not very," Raphael grunted in agreement.

"Okay," she rolled her eyes. "But on one condition."

"Anything," Donnie said quickly.

"You guys don't fight about who goes tomorrow," she smirked.

They each opened their mouths to argue, then closed them.

"Touché," Leonardo said, chuckling. "Why don't you decide, then?"

She smiled. "Sounds reasonable." She patted Raphael's arm. "It's really too bad you can't go, I'd like to go for ice cream after the meeting."

Raphael blushed, and Mikey sniggered behind a hand.

"Well, whoever goes will probably have to miss morning practice," Leonardo said. "So, whoever goes will have to agree to train with me that afternoon instead." He smiled at Alex, giving a nearly imperceptible nod toward Donnie, who was sitting next to him. She looked at Leo questioningly, and he nodded again.

"Donnie, would you take me?" she asked shyly. "We'll be gone for several hours; I don't want to take you away from your projects-,"

"I'd be honoured to," he said simply, ducking his head to hide his flush.

"Aww man," Mikey frowned, crossing his arms.

"And when I get back, you promised me some co-op games," Alex added, smiling at the youngest brother.

Mikey brightened. "Yeah! Whaddya wanna do?"

"Give me some choices, we'll pick tonight."

"Far out," he grinned. He stood and put his empty plate in the sink, then padded over to the TV.

"Hey," Raph said, nudging Alex to get her attention, "thanks for playing with him."

"I'm happy to." She beamed back at them. "I never got to have siblings. I always wanted a brother. Now I can know what that feels like!" She stood and wrapped her arms around Raph's neck, giving him a quick hug before following after Mike.

"She's something else, ain't she?" Raph said in a low voice.

"You shoulda seen her back at the house," Leo said, eyes wide. "She handed this Chuck guy his ass on a platter."

"I woulda paid to see that," Raph chuckled.

"It's like when Donnie gets upset," Leo laughed, poking his younger brother, who was still blushing.

"Wow," Raph said, grinning. "Musta been a helluva show."

Leo caught sight of the clock on the wall, and he stood, collecting the rest of the plates. "Evening meditation. Want to join?"

"Nah," Raph said, sliding his eyes away from Leo's gaze.

"I'd like to read some," Donnie said, stretching.

Leo dumped the plates in the sink, then turned and gave them a sly look. "Ah, too bad. Alex is probably going to join me. See you in a bit." He waved and walked over to the TV area.

"Damn. I forgot about that," Donnie said, resting his chin in his hands.

"Smug bastard." Raphael shrugged. "Whateva. Not even Alex could tempt me to go."

"Hey Raph?"

"Here."

Donnie gave the group at the TV a furtive glance, lowering his voice to a whisper. "You doing okay?"

Raphael raised an eyebrow at him. "Am I doin' okay with what?"

"You've been different as of late." Donnie fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "Bad mood swings. Everything upsets you. And you and Leo seem… distant."

"Leo?" Raphael's eyes narrowed. "What's he got to do with anythin'?"

"I'm not sure," Donnie said, his eyes searching his brother's. "Does he at all?"

Raph frowned, not liking the direction the conversation was going in. "You're the genius; you tell me."

Donatello sighed. "I can't help you if you don't answer simple questions."

"One, they ain't 'simple questions'. An' two, I don't need your help."

"See?" Donnie sat back, gesturing at his brother. "I know you have a temper, Raph. You're very passionate; it's one of your best qualities. But you take everything as an attack. It doesn't have to be this way."

Raphael glowered. "Well, forget it."

"Why?" Donnie asked innocently.

"Just… forget it." Raphael turned and stood, then glanced back. "You can't help me with this."

"Then find someone who can," Donnie said softly, but Raphael just stomped away, heading for the garage.

"What's with him now?" Leo called over, his voice sounding weary.

Donatello just shrugged. "See you in a bit," he said, and walked off, disappearing into the lab.

"So how about it Mikey; want to come to evening meditation?" Alex asked.

Mikey scrunched his face, obviously torn between gaming and spending time with Alex. Games won out in the end, and it was just Leo and Alex in the training dojo moments later.

"I'm going to guide you through several meditation sessions," Leo said after they were sitting comfortably on matching yoga mats. "I want you to close your eyes, and breathe long and deeply. I am going to verbally describe the place I want you to see in your mind's eye. I want you to go there."

"How is that going to help?" she asked, opening one eye to peek at him.

"It calms your mind while focusing it. You will learn how to relax yourself and clear your mind of thoughts with this exercise. That is the first step of meditation. A clear, focused state of mind."

She nodded, settling more comfortably on her legs.

"Thoughts may come as you pass through the place I'm taking you to," he added, his voice quiet. "Do not think of these thoughts as negative, no matter what they consist of. They are just fragments of who you are. Push them aside, without anger. Concentrate solely on where I'm taking you."

"Okay." She let out a breath slowly. "I'm ready."

They spent a full hour in meditation with only two interruptions. Alex lost her train of thought twice when Leonardo would stop talking for too long, and he quickly surmised they would have to work on her attention span primarily. She was surprised when he told her the hour was up.

"It's been an hour?" she gasped. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," he said, chuckling. "Are you hungry?"

"Actually, yeah," she said, frowning. "But I ate an hour ago…"

"Meditating consumes a lot of energy, both physical and spiritual," Leo explained. "I usually have a protein snack after meditation. A boiled egg, nuts, or even a small sandwich."

"Cashews?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure, but you can ask Mikey," he said, taking her hand and helping her rise. "By the way, thanks for taking Donnie tomorrow."

She smiled shyly. "I thought he might prefer to stay at home."

"He does tend to stay at home more," Leo said. "That's partly why I suggested him."

"Partly?"

Leo smiled, a bit flustered. "Yes, well, he needs to, ah, interact more socially."

She just raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're a good influence on him," Leo said honestly.

"Well, that's kind of you to say," she said, confused.

"Better not keep Mikey waiting," he added, nodding toward the couch.

"Oh, yes." She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Leo. I'm looking forward to mediation tomorrow." She turned and skipped down the hallway.

Leo looked the other way, eyeing the steel door that led to the garage. Gritting his teeth, he walked to it; determined to talk Raphael back into a good mood. If he could.

Mikey was overjoyed to have Alex join him, and they plugged in Mario Kart to play. After hearing the shouts and screams from the front room, Donnie dragged his laptop out to so he could work and watch at the same time.

They had some close, exciting races. Alex was very good at being sneaky, and was giving Mikey a run for his money. Mikey, who rarely cussed, called Donnie some choice names as his brother was cheering Alex on.

"Damn traitor!" Mikey yelled as a red shell knocked his racer off a bridge. Donnie clapped Alex on the shoulder, grinning.

"Sore loser!" Alex shouted as her kart zoomed past where Mikey had crashed.

"It ain't over yet," Mikey hissed, sticking his tongue out as he concentrated to catch up.

They were only into their third match of the evening when Leonardo came out of the garage, his face an unreadable mask. Without a word, he nodded at them and clomped up the stairs toward the bedrooms. A moment later, they heard his door slam shut.

"Uh oh," Donnie said, frowning.

"Double uh oh," Mikey groaned. "They're at it again."

Alex sighed. "This happen often?"

"It has lately." Donnie mimicked her sigh.

Alex looked back toward the garage, then snorted. "Those two need to get laid."

"Don't we all," Mikey said mournfully.

Alex's eyes went wide, then clapped a hand to her mouth, trying to hide her laughter and failing miserably.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Donnie said, returning his attention to his laptop.

"I- I'm sorry if that was uncalled for," she giggled.

"Maybe so. But it's oh so true," Donnie added, giving her a shy smile.

She dissolved into giggles again, then shouted angrily as Mike passed her kart racer.

They spent several hours racing, Mikey finally calling it quits. He hadn't played Mario Kart in a while, and his thumb was killing him.

"Mine too," Alex moaned, rubbing her hands gingerly.

Donnie snapped his fingers. "I've got something for that. Hold on." He ran into his lab.

"He's got this awesome cream stuff," Mikey explained. "It's great after several hours of gaming!"

"Oh good." She frowned at her hands. "I should've taken a few breaks."

"We'll do that next time."

Donnie ran back over to them, handing Alex a blank white tube. "It's a mild anti-inflammatory," he said. "I get it from an herbal shop down by April's apartment. It's good to leave on overnight. It'll sink in like lotion."

"Ahhh, that's nice," she said, spreading some of the salve on her palms and wrists. "It smells good, too."

"Menthol," Donnie smiled.

"Oh crud, is that the time?" She pointed at the TV. "I gotta get to bed, Mikey," she said apologetically. "I gotta be up early."

"Aww man," Mikey complained. "Just another cup?"

"I can't, I'm sorry," she frowned. "Any other night I'd say yes."

"Well say yes tomorrow night!"

"I will," she laughed. She stood and stretched her arms over her head. "I like staying up late. But for now, g'night."

"I'll walk you up?" Donnie looked at her expectantly, and she nodded, smiling. He offered her his arm like he'd seen Leo do, and to his delight she wove hers around it. She missed a step halfway up, and she chuckled.

"I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought," she said, yawning.

"Oh no," Donnie moaned, then gave a big yawn of his own. "Don't start that!"

"Sorry," she giggled. They stood outside his door, and Donnie panicked, unsure of what to say. He didn't have to wonder for long, though, as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks again for letting me use your room," she smiled.

"Of course," he said, flushing slightly.

"Goodnight, Donnie." She walked in and looked back, holding onto the door.

"Goodnight, Lexi," he said softly, and she shut the door. He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding, then turned and smiled to himself. He slid down the banister, and Mikey gave him a grin from the couch.

"I totally saw that," Mikey said.

"I totally don't care," Donnie said, trying to sound casual as he returned to his laptop.

"Well I'm totally jealous," Mikey sulked.

"You totally should be," Donnie smirked back. He heard something and looked down the hallway. "Hey, it's Mr. Grinch."

"Shut up," Raphael grumbled. "I'm goin' ta bed."

"Already?" Mikey asked.

Raphael turned, ready to fire a retort, and saw Donnie's sad expression. He took a breath. "Yes, Mike. G'night, you two."

"Goodnight," Donnie said softly, giving him a smile.

Raphael trudged up the steps slowly, not really tired but not wanting to stay out in the living area with his brothers. Donnie was right; his temper was very touchy and he didn't want to snap at his brothers. Best to just lock himself in his room.

Raphael closed his bedroom door behind him, then kicked a basketball under his dresser. He stared at his hammock, his arms crossed.

"I _like_ my hammock," he said grumpily to himself. He climbed into it, closing his eyes and wishing sleep would come. He wasn't drowsy in the least, but he couldn't think of anything better to do. So he lay there silently, trying to not think too much.

He heard Mikey go to bed shortly after he did, and not much longer after that he could hear faint snoring. If there was one thing Mikey wasn't, it wasn't an insomniac. That guy could sleep _anywhere._

Raphael sighed, turning over and swinging gently. He envied Mikey right now.

He wished he'd gotten some of Mikey's comics from the table downstairs. The more he thought about it, the more he thought that was a good idea. Mikey wouldn't miss one or two for a day. Hopefully. And even if Don hadn't gone to bed, he'd never snitch.

Raph swung his legs out of the hammock and padded to his door, listening. He was about to open his door when he heard a groan, and he froze.

Silence; then another moan, louder this time. As far as he could tell, it was coming from Don's- no, Alex's room. He opened his door and pressed an ear to hers.

He heard her cry out softly.

Torn between respecting privacy and concern, he stood there for a moment. Concern finally won in the end, and he eased her door open, peeking one eye around the edge.

Alex was sitting up in bed, curled into a ball over her knees, making a soft keening noise.

"Hey," he whispered, knocking gently on the door and stepping inside. "Alex? Are you okay?"

She rocked back and forth, and he wasn't sure if she'd heard him. He walked up to the bed.

"Hey," he said again, touching her shoulder tenderly. "Alexandria?"

She jumped, looking up at him with wide, tear-limned eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly, sitting beside her.

She shivered, returning her head between her knees.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

She shook her head violently.

Raphael tilted his head, remembering something. "Did you have a night terror?"

She shook her head yes shakily.

"I know about those," he said in a low voice. "C'mere." He put his arm around her, pulling her into his lap. "Listen to my voice. It's okay. You're here with us; you're safe and warm."

He continued talking in a soothing tone, and after a few moments her shivers stopped. She relaxed more into his embrace.

"Leo used to have these," Raph said, rocking her gently. "We used to all sleep in one bed when we were little. He would wake up screaming. We were scared at first. After a few times, we figured out it calmed him if we talked to him. Every time, I held onto him til he fell back asleep." He rested his head on the top of hers. "After we got older, Master Splinter had us sleep in separate beds. But Leo kept having them. D'ya know what I did?"

She shook her head silently.

"I snuck into his room every night for weeks," he said, chuckling softly. "I'd hold him all night. I'm sure Master Splinter knew, but he never said anything. After a while… Leo just stopped having them."

"I- I used to have them," she whispered. "As a child. I haven't had one s- since I was six or so. After my mother's accident, I've b- been having them regularly." She shivered again once.

"Alex, I'm right here if you need me," Raph said, petting her hair. "I know how awful those are. I'm right next door if this happens again, okay?"

She nodded, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"You didn't. I couldn't sleep." He set her back on the bed gently. "And the best thing for you is to get back to sleep now."

"I don't want to," she choked, gripping his arm.

"You'll be fine," Raphael reassured her. "I'll sit here beside the bed til you fall asleep."

"Promise?"

He looked down at her, and was struck by how little and frail she looked, hidden in the sheets. "I promise. But I ain't singin' to ya."

"Good," she muttered. "I don't think my ears could take the torture."

Raphael glared at her, but she'd already shut her eyes.

[Author's Note]

Night terrors are horrible. I wish I had my own Raph to cuddle me. D:

Or my own Donnie. Mmm, Donnie. :3


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Seventeen

For once, when the alarm clock began buzzing, Donnie didn't mind crawling out of his warm bed. He was really looking forward to today, even if that meant putting his normal training off until that afternoon.

Sleepily he tied his bandana and joint pads on. He grabbed the cell phone next to his keyboard, tucking it away in his belt. He was about to leave the lab when a thought struck him, and he turned back to his desk. Reaching under it, he pulled out a small drawer and withdrew a tin box. Inside were crumpled bills, and he grabbed two twenties. Lexi had mentioned something about an after-meeting treat; maybe she would let him pay for it.

He yawned as he returned the tin box to its hidden location. Stretching, he kicked the lab door open and shuffled toward the kitchen, intent on making some _real _coffee. Not that instant crap.

A moment later, he heard the stairs creak and he looked over his shoulder. Alex was leaning on Mikey as they walked down together. Ever the morning person, he was already asking Alex when she'd get back, and what they were going to play that afternoon. Alex looked like Donnie felt; her feet dragged and she kept hiding yawns behind a hand. She was dressed in a long skirt and long-sleeved shirt, but her hair had obviously not been combed.

"'S'that coffee?" she asked, shambling to the fridge like a zombie.

"Lifeblood of every night owl," Donnie affirmed, pointing at the coffee pot.

She wrinkled her nose. "Hate the stuff." She pulled the door open and picked out two cokes. She handed one to Mikey and dropped into a kitchen chair, then promptly put her face in her hands, massaging it.

"You look like death warmed over," Donnie chuckled, sitting beside her.

"I feel like it. Don't worry; I'm just a slow starter in the morning until I've eaten." She rubbed her temples.

Mikey reached over and opened her coke for her, and she thanked him.

"I don't know how you feel about pizza for breakfast, but there's two slices left," Donnie offered.

"I think I'll get one, if you don't mind." She reopened the fridge and grabbed one of the slices and put it on a paper towel, popping it in the microwave. "I'm fairly incompetent until I've had breakfast," she explained.

"Same with my coffee," Donnie said, yawning again and clicking a nail on the pot, wishing it'd hurry up.

"Never liked coffee," she said, sipping on her coke. "I only like sweet stuff. Coffee always has this underlying bitter flavour to me."

"That's what wakes you up," he winked at her.

"Ugh," Mikey groaned, hearing Raph begin to descend the stairs, "I'd better get to practice. You guys have fun."

"We will," they chorused. Donnie filled a mug halfway with coffee, and another full to the top. When Raphael shuffled into the kitchen, Donnie handed him the half-full mug.

"Yer a lifesaver," Raph said gratefully.

"Careful, it's hot," Donnie warned.

"I'll get it down," Raph grimaced. He sipped it slowly, eyeing the clock on the wall. "Oh, this is the good stuff," he said approvingly.

"Figured you might appreciate that this morning," Donnie grinned.

Raphael clapped a hand on his shoulder, giving him a rare affectionate smile. "Thanks, Don."

"No problem. Better head on," Donnie said sadly, and Raph nodded back. He drained the rest of his mug, and then made a face.

"I think I burnt my tongue," Raph grumbled. "Have fun, kids."

"See ya," Donnie said softly, watching his brother walk off.

"Too bad he can't go with us," Alex said. "He seems so melancholy."

"I know." He sat back down beside her, watching her tear into the pizza hungrily with amusement. She looked up at him, then smiled.

"I wasn't kidding when I said I was hungry all the time," she laughed.

"I believe you."

She wiped her mouth with the paper towel. "I feel much better now."

"I'm getting there," he said, sipping his coffee. He glanced at her, noting that she did indeed look more awake.

"I really like your skirt," he mumbled.

"Oh thank you!" She stood and gave a twirl, holding it out at her sides. "I have another like it, but its aqua blue where the red is on this one."

"I like the red and gold together," he nodded. "It looks really good on you."

She blushed slightly. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she teased.

"I'll have to remember that," he said slyly.

"Oh, I meant to ask you," she said, leaning forward over the table, "what are you going to do all day?"

"I'll find a newsstand or a bookshop."

She furrowed her brow. "You sure?"

"I can be endlessly entertained in a bookstore," he reassured her. He emptied his mug and set his and Raph's in the sink.

"Okay," she said, sounding doubtful.

"I've got a cell phone with me; you can just call and let me know when you're done," he added. "And I'll pick you up and we can get ice cream, if you still want to."

She grinned. "Yes! Oh, and I need to go by an art supply store."

"We'll find one."

She looked up at the wall clock. "We should probably leave soon, are you ready?"

"Ready as rain," he replied. "Let me get my coat and hat and we can go."

"That's very Bogart," she remarked as he shrugged into his coat.

He laughed. "Isn't it? Effective, though."

"And very debonair," she chuckled, straightening his collar.

"That too." He held his arm out to her, smiling when she took it as he led her to the exit.

"You really don't have to do that," she laughed. "But it's cute."

"Cute?" He sounded disappointed.

"It's sweet," she amended hastily. "The only guy who did this for me was my father." She smiled wistfully. "He was such a charming man. I miss him dearly."

He patted her hand, unsure of what to say. They walked through the sewers in comfortable silence, and they didn't break it until they reached the subway.

Alex kept her arm linked with his as they sat on the subway, suddenly glad that Leonardo had insisted she have someone go with her today. Chuck had unnerved her more than she'd let on yesterday, yet here among the bustle of the city she felt completely safe with Donnie beside her.

"Chilly today, isn't it?" he said in her ear as they swayed with the train.

"Quite. I'm rethinking my choice of wearing a skirt," she complained.

"What is it they say? You suffer to be beautiful," he chuckled.

She shivered, and he put his arm around her, drawing her close. "I don't like the cold much."

"What are you doing living in the Big Apple, then?" he smiled.

"I love the city," she sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I love the country, too, don't get me wrong. But I like feeling alone and not alone simultaneously in the city. Everything I could ever want is here." She grinned up at him. "Especially now."

He ducked his head as he blushed. "That's sweet of you."

"Oh, remind me to pick up a newspaper," she said, snapping her fingers as she remembered. "I want to look for an apartment."

"In the city?"

"Yep. I'm still determined to sell that huge house." She shook her head. "Even if I got married and had a family, that house is still too big to clean and care for."

"I'll see what I can find while you're at your meeting," he offered. "I'll also ask April. She knows what's what in the city."

"I don't want to bother her," Alex frowned. "She doesn't even know me."

"Any friend of ours is one of hers," he replied. "And don't worry; you'll probably meet her tomorrow night anyway. We usually take her and Casey dinner on Fridays."

"Mikey mentioned that."

"Poor Raph," Donnie sighed. "He and Casey are best friends. He's gonna be pissed he doesn't get to go."

"Maybe Splinter-sama would-," she began, but Donnie was already shaking his head.

"No matter how remorseful you may be for your actions, you still live with the punishment for your actions," Donnie said. "Master Splinter is very strict about that."

"Makes sense," Alex sighed. She looked up at the conductor crackled over the sound system. "This is our stop." She clung to his arm and they exited the train and made their way topside.

"And conveniently, this is my stop," she said, pointing at a tall brown building not far from where they emerged.

"Excellent; there's a huge bookstore just a few blocks down," Donnie said. "Let me give you my cell number."

She entered it on her phone, then clicked it shut. She stared at the glass door, sagging against him. "I don't wanna go," she whined.

"Just think of the ice cream," he said, nudging her forward. "And I'll be waiting for you."

"Okay," she said grumpily. She waved at him after closing the door, then turned and disappeared. Donnie stood a moment, making sure she was in and safe, then headed down the sidewalk, stifling a yawn. He needed more coffee…

It was almost two p.m. when Donnie's phone finally buzzed. He picked it up eagerly, closing the electrical engineering manual he'd been reading. It was a text.

_FINALLY done. long winded bastards. get me out of here!_

Donatello laughed, putting the book back where he'd found it and rushing out of the store. The crowds were thick, and it took him a few to get back to the lawyer's office. Alex was standing outside, head bowed as she texted on her phone. She looked up as he walked up, and she threw her arms around him excitedly.

"_Ohmygod,_ they wouldn't shut up!" she complained into his shoulder. "And I have to come back at the end of next week to do _more!_"

"More?" he asked, his voice muffled in her hair. "Why?"

"They have to draw up more papers," she sighed, stepping back and looking down at her phone again. Her fingers flew over the small keyboard. "Some of it will be because I want to sell the house, but not all of it. That was _so boring_." She finished her text and closed it with a snap. "My friend Heather texted me to ask how I was holding up," she explained, and gave him a sly grin. "I told her I had four strapping young men keeping me occupied."

Donatello laughed, giving her another hug with one arm. "I bet she liked hearing that?"

"Quite jealous," Alex sniggered. "Okay, we are going to have to skip the ice cream for now. I'm starving."

"Didn't they get you anything to eat?" he asked as they walked off, arm in arm.

"Just some donuts and blueberry muffins," she said, disgusted. "That only helped for, like, half an hour." She looked up at him with a serious expression. "I turn into a bear when I'm hungry. I was getting pretty upset that last hour."

"What do you feel like?" he said, motioning at the sidewalk ahead of them. "We can get anything you want."

She tilted her head, thinking. "Chinese," she finally decided, and he steered her to the right, taking a turn at the light.

"There's a small restaurant a few blocks down here. Feel up to a walk?"

"As long as there's food at the end," she laughed.

Caught up in each other's company, neither noticed that the same person had been shadowing them since they left the lawyer's office.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Eighteen

Alex leaned on the arm of the ragged couch back at the lair, thinking. That stupid meeting had completely ruined the morning, but it had turned into one of the best days she'd had in a long time. Their lunch had been perfect, and to her surprise Donatello had paid for it as well. She sighed happily to herself. It'd been too long since she'd let herself go on a date. Perhaps he hadn't meant for it to be as such, but she certainly saw it as one. He had entertained her with his and his brother's exploits over the meal, and she'd laughed long and easily. It seemed to her that he knew what to say, when to say it, and when to enjoy the silence between them- like they were now. Everyone had gone to bed or, in Raph's case, fallen asleep on the couch next to her.

She rubbed her temples, hiding her eyes from Donnie's. He was sitting next to the couch and her, typing away placidly on his laptop.

She was afraid of reading too much into the little things he said or did, but she did know he had great affection for her. They all did, but Donnie was so warm to her. The only man who had ever been so considerate had been her father.

She sighed, still massaging her face. _Why_ had she dated such jerks in the past? _Why_ couldn't she have dated someone like Donnie?

She frowned to herself. She had never felt like she deserved someone like him.

Her breath caught in her chest. Well, screw that. She was her own person now.

She stole a glance at Donnie. His face was harshly lit from the computer, and he had a triumphant expression on his face as he scribbled something on a notepad, looking back and forth between it and the screen. She could see a schematic on the screen, and he was apparently copying it down.

He stopped after a moment, looking over to see her staring at him. He just smiled and nodded his head at the TV. "Movie not interesting?"

"I've seen it," she shrugged. "What are you doing?"

"Converting these plans to a smaller ratio," he said, showing her his sketchpad. "Hopefully this weekend we can go dumpster diving. Or rather, you can come with and watch me."

"Definitely would rather watch," she said, nodding.

He rubbed his hands together, eyes glowing in excitement. "I can't wait to get started!"

She grinned, his enthusiasm infectious. "Me either!"

"You mean that?" he said, an incredulous note to his voice.

"Donnie," she said, exasperated. "We already discussed this."

"Forgive me; I'm just not used to anyone sharing my interests." He smiled apologetically. "Like I said, my brothers are just interested in the result."

"And as I said, even if I don't understand what you're doing, I think it's fascinating."

"You're really very sweet," he murmured.

"So are you."

"Oh geez," Raphael moaned, standing up and walking off toward the stairs. "I'm goin' ta bed. Goodnight lovebirds."

"Goodnight _'sore loser'_," Donnie said, arching an eyebrow at him.

Raphael gave him a mock angry look, flipping him the bird as he disappeared around the corner.

"What was that about?" she said.

"Inside joke." He shifted in his seat nervously. "It's nothing."

She drooped further on the couch's arm, hiding a yawn, and he nudged her.

"You're a trooper if you can stay up later than Raph," he said, laughing.

"I fear I've only won by a few moments," she said as she stretched lazily. "It's only three thirty, but I'm going to have to admit defeat. I got up way too early this morning or I'd be going strong 'til at least five."

"I'll walk you up, and then I should probably turn in," he agreed reluctantly. "But," he added, perking up, "tomorrow will be another fun day. The sooner we go to sleep, the sooner it'll be here."

"So April and Casey are on for dinner?" she asked as Donnie packed up his laptop.

"Yep, I got an email from her tonight. Do you mind pizza again? It's kind of a tradition."

"Who am I to question tradition?" she giggled. "I don't mind in the least. Just no 'exotic' toppings for me."

"Lightweight," he teased, linking his arm with hers and leading her to the stairs.

"I…" She hesitated, then laughed. "I'm too tired to think of a comeback."

"I will consider myself dutifully rebuked," he said solemnly, and she giggled again.

"Goodnight, Donnie," she said softly after they stopped in front of his bedroom. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely.

"Goodnight, Lexi," he whispered, burying his nose in her hair. It smelled of rosemary and mint. It was intoxicating.

"Thank you for taking me today," she added.

"It was my pleasure."

Reluctantly she let him go and stepped into the room. She gave him a shy smile and closed the door.

Donatello took a deep breath as he walked away slowly down the hallway. He knew Lexi, like Mikey, was more a physical type of person; fond of touching, hugs, and such and initiated physical contact often. She had given Leo a- what he hoped was only friendly- kiss on the cheek after meditation tonight. She had gotten into a wrestling match with Mikey over the remote, squealing in delight after he let her pin him down and 'win'. He had watched her fall asleep for a few brief moments on Raph's shoulder. She was affectionate to all of them. Lexi didn't single him out.

So should he feel like his skin was on fire after she touched him?

His reverie was broken by Raph hissing his name as he walked past. Shaking his head, he looked up to see Raph staring at him from around his door.

"C'mere," Raph muttered, and Donnie stepped into the darkened room curiously.

"What's up, Raph?"

"I've been thinkin' about what you said the other day," Raph replied, getting right to the point. "And… And I wanna know if you'd go topside with me Tuesday. I usually go drinking with Casey, but," he paused to shrug, "I'd like to talk to you."

"You would?" Donnie asked, his brows knit in confusion.

"Yeah." Raphael kicked a basketball around on the floor, and Donnie could tell he was nervous. "Just you an' me."

"I don't drink, but I'll go," Donnie said, a slow smile spreading on his face.

"Oh c'mon," Raphael wheedled, giving his brother a sly grin. "Surely you'll try a little somethin'."

"Well… maybe," Donnie conceded. "We'll see. But I'll definitely go."

"I don't wanna drink alone," Raph pressed. "Or maybe I should just ask Casey-,"

"Okay! One drink!"

"Good," Raph chuckled. "Tuesday, then."

"Sure." Donnie put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Me too, Don." Raphael's eyes were dark with emotion. "Me too."

[Author's Note]

Small chapter… Sorry about that. Kind of an interim. Next stop, April & Casey's!

Oh, and small teaser: DRUNK DONNIE DOES HAPPEN! xD

Estar: Oh my goodness! *blushes* I love your analogy (and I'm totally stealing it). That's kinda how I feel as I write it! :3 THANK YOU for reading & reviewing!

emmaisemo: I'm glad people seem to be enjoying Alex! She can be a little fireball when she feels the need… You will see more of this soon…


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Nineteen

Four figures huddled together against the frosty wind as they crossed a back alley. Staying to the shadows, they ran down to the corner, stopping underneath a fire escape.

"Follow me," Mikey said, and he quickly ascended the ladder, reaching down a hand to help Alex.

"Err, you guys go first," she said, shaking her head when they began protesting. "I've got a skirt on! You go first!" She looked embarrassed.

"Oh," Leo chuckled. "Fair reasoning."

"I thought you said it was too cold for skirts yesterday," Donnie chided, following up after his youngest brother.

"Well I wanted to look nice!" she retorted, smoothing her hair fussily.

"You always do," Leo assured her, giving her a wink before he handed the pizza boxes up to Donnie and shimmying up the ladder. Alex followed less gracefully, clutching her skirt to her knees as the wind swirled around her.

"C-cold," she stuttered, pulling her scarf up to her nose.

"Almost there. Just two more flights!" Mikey said, and Alex groaned. She continued to complain until they reached the third floor.

"Doesn't this place have an elevator?" she whined.

"Inside," Leo shrugged.

"I'm using that next time," she muttered.

"Leo!" A dark figure dropped from the landing above, pounding him on the back. "You're early!"

"Only 'cause Raph can't come this week," Mikey said sadly.

"Again?" Casey frowned. "What'd he do this time?"

"No, no," Donnie said, grinning. "It's a story for over dinner."

"Right. Oh, hey there," Casey said, catching sight of their companion. "Alex, right? I'm Casey."

"Nice to meet you," she smiled back, shaking his hand. "Now can we get inside? I'm freezing! And delicate!"

They all laughed and Casey opened the tall window they were standing by, hanging back to give Alex a hand stepping inside.

"April's changing, she got in just a few minutes ago," Casey explained. He took the pizza boxes from Donnie and put them on a table by a long, white couch. "So how's it goin'? We didn't get to party last week."

"Same old same old," Donnie said, plopping on the couch. He patted the space beside him, and Alex sat next to him, shivering. Donnie put an arm around her, trying to warm her.

Casey pointed at back and forth at them behind their back, eyes wide in question. Leo gave him an amused smile.

"The city has been quiet lately," Leo said, trying to keep Donnie's eyes forward so he wouldn't see Casey's surprised expression. "We've been training harder as a result. Mostly keeping to ourselves."

"Yeah, uh, April was actually complaining about that the other day," Casey replied, his face relaxing into a grin. "She said if this keeps up, she'll be out of a job."

"I will be," April replied, coming out of a room behind Casey and closing the door. "I'm glad you guys came by tonight!"

Donnie stood as she gave each of them a hug. Alex rubbed her hands together violently for a few seconds to warm them up before shaking April's hand as she was introduced.

"I've heard great things about you," April said kindly.

"As have I," Alex replied graciously.

"I'd like to offer condolences on your mother's passing," April added quietly, and Alex nodded, giving her a sad smile.

"Okay, enough pleasantries, I'm starving!" Casey said, eyeing the pizza boxes.

April and Leo rolled their eyes at the same time, and Donnie and Alex chuckled to each other. Casey got out a stack of paper plates and they each served themselves. They settled onto the couch and two recliners afterwards, sharing stories of their last week. Alex enjoyed listening, content to sit back and eat as the others talked. A highlight of the dinner conversation was explaining about the broken TV, and Casey had a good laugh.

"I was wondering what he wanted that for," he said, taking April's empty plate and standing up to refill it. "You know how tight-lipped he is. I mean, I was sure you guys could use an upgrade but he was pretty urgent he needed it _right then_."

"It's _awesome,_" Mikey said in awe, and the brothers chorused agreement.

"Well I guess it worked out alright in the end," April said, then frowned. "Except for the fact that he can't be here tonight."

"Yeah, he was pretty pissed," Mikey said, pouting.

"He'll probably be knocking around Tuesday then, I guess," Casey said, and Donnie cleared his throat.

"He, ah, asked me to go topside with him this Tuesday," he admitted, and Leo turned, giving Donnie an encouraging smile.

"Ah, no prob," Casey said, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back.

"Besides, you can't this Tuesday," April reminded him. "Remember the museum opening on Wednesday? I can't have you out until almost dawn when we have to get up so early." She frowned at him. "Had you forgotten already?"

"Oh, uh," Casey mumbled, looking defeated. "I guess so. Sorry, babe."

"What am I going to do with you?" she sighed.

He spread his hands, giving her a sheepish grin. "Love me?"

"I'm trying!"

Alex turned her head and giggled into Donnie's arm.

They spent another several hours trading jokes and banter. When Mikey started hiding yawns behind his hand, Leo took that as his signal to round everyone up to leave.

"Thanks for having us over, April," Leo said, standing and giving Donnie a meaningful glance.

April pouted. "Leaving already?"

"We should," he said, nodding at Mikey and smiling. She took the hint and they all stood up, pulling their coats on. Alex tucked her hair into her jacket and wound her scarf around her head and neck.

"You look like a Jawa," Mikey laughed, pointing at her.

"I'm warm!" she said, her eyes crinkling with a hidden smile. She nodded at April and Casey. "Thank you so much for inviting me along. It's been a wonderful evening!"

"It sure has," Casey said, wrapping an arm around April and grinning.

"Take care on your way home!" April said.

"Don't worry," Leo said gently as he opened the window. "We always do."

"G'night kids!" Mikey called, then disappeared out the window. The rest of them said their farewells and crept out into the night. Donnie reached back and closed it behind them.

"She seems nice," Casey said, pulling April into a hug.

"And she seems to fit in with them very well," she added, hugging him back. "I think Don has found a new friend."

"_Friend._ Right," Casey smirked.

[Author's Note]

Another short chapter- sorry about that- just trying to get the plot rolling faster. I'm eager to begin writing the Tuesday outing, so I may've rushed this a bit. My writing demon is satiated, however, so now I can sleep. X_x


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to Tcest.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty

A comfortable routine settled in over the weekend. At Leonardo's urging, Alex rose early in the morning with them, figuring the idea of a schedule would do her some good. He even invited her to watch their morning practice, as long as she wasn't a distraction, and fortunately she wasn't. She would tuck herself into a corner- as much for protection as to not be noticeable- and watch in fascination as they sparred.

Mikey had found an excellent cooking partner, and Alex didn't mishandle appliances, making her an instant favourite in the kitchen. She helped prepare breakfast and lunch with him every day, with several hours of solid gaming between the two meals, interrupted periodically by Splinter, who would insist on watching his soap operas which Alex found highly amusing. She and Mikey would laze about if Splinter was using the TV and read comics.

After lunch she would put on older clothes and help Donnie in the lab. They had made quite a haul at the dumpster, and he was eager to begin crafting his smaller EMP, as well as other various ideas he'd stored away. As promised, she didn't understand the math behind the projects, but she was a quick and competent assistant. She was also eager to learn, and she would listen with rapt attention as he explained why _this_ went _there_, or why _that_ should work.

Donnie would finally shoo her out of the lab when they were both exhausted, and Alex would wander down the long hallway, collapsing on a stool by Raph as he tinkered on the various vehicles in the garage. They didn't talk much, except when she asked him to teach her the names of the parts he was fiddling with and how they worked together. They found they had the same tastes in music, and the radio blared when they weren't chatting.

An hour of meditation followed dinner. She was dismayed at how easily her mind wandered, but Leonardo assured her with practice and dedication it would get better. She explained she was used to learning ideas quickly and efficiently, and her lack of concentration was frustrating. Leo was sure the sessions were good for her in more ways than one, and urged her to not resign. She agreed to continue, even if it was just to prove to herself she could do it. He was quite proud of her attitude.

Late afternoon and evenings were her favourite time. She had a wonderful little art workstation, and she began working on two paintings while the brothers would disperse and lounge around the living area. Sometimes they'd watch a movie or the news, or play co-op games. Donatello kept his laptop out by the couch all the time now and Mikey kept sneaking on it when Donnie wasn't looking, earning him a few whacks to the head each time he got caught. When she was tired of standing she would settle on the couch, reading into the wee hours of the morning beside Donnie and Raph, who either watched TV or fell asleep.

Time flew by, and before long it was Tuesday afternoon. Donatello was keen to leave with Raph on their outing, but his brother was still in the garage with Alex, presumably blasting AC/DC and up to their elbows in oil and grease. Donnie was thrilled that while Alex was very much a girl, she liked getting her hands dirty.

He knew her time with Raph was easing the senseless rage in his brother, as Raph had been much calmer over the weekend, returning almost completely to his normal teasing self. Raphael was a relentless trickster and none of his sarcastic remarks had held the dark quality they'd taken on as of late. Donatello hoped this good mood would continue into the evening and allow his normally reserved brother to talk freely to him.

Raphael and Alex finally emerged from the garage, singing a bawdy song Donatello did not recognize. They finished a stanza and broke into laughter.

"See? I told ya I can sing," he said, pushing playfully on her shoulder.

She held up her hand as if she was holding something. "It's because I'm carrying your bucket."

"Hey, fuck you," Raphael laughed, pushing her again. She punched him back jokingly, and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Am I going to have to separate you two?" Donnie called from the couch, giving them a mock serious stare.

"Take him out and run him," Alex said, poking Raph. "He's got too much energy."

"You still wanna go, Don?" Raph asked hopefully.

"I'll give you hell if you don't take me," Donnie grinned back.

"Oh geez. Anythin' but that. Lemme clean up." Raphael waved a hand at him and headed up to the showers. Alex flopped on the couch next to Donnie, who wrinkled his nose.

"You smell like a car shop." He gave her an amused smile.

"Yeah," she sighed, looking at her stained hands. "I'm gonna take a long, hot shower after Raph's done."

"Then you can help me cook dinner!" Mikey called from the kitchen, motioning at her with a wooden spoon. "For once!"

"Okay, okay," she said. "But only if you let me beat you at Mario Kart later."

"Only if you don't play Yoshi."

"Screw that!" she called over her shoulder, and Mikey laughed as he rattled dishes in the sink.

"You looking forward to getting out?" she asked as she turned to Donnie.

"Very much so!"

"Good," she smiled. She lowered her voice. "So has he."

Donnie gave her a secretive grin.

"Have a rum and coke for me, okay? I haven't had a mixed drink in months." She sighed wistfully.

Donnie frowned slightly. "I'm not sure… I don't drink. But I promised him one, so I guess I'll have that."

"Enjoy it for me!"

"I'll… try," Donnie said hesitantly.

"Try what?" Raph said, taking the stairs two at a time as he came back down. Donnie could see his bandana was half-soaked from not drying properly.

"Lexi said I should get a rum and coke for her."

"Good choice," Raph beamed at her. "Now get a shower before you drip oil all over that poor couch."

She stuck her tongue out at him and walked off after saying goodbye; stopping to ask Mikey what was for dinner.

Donnie touched Raph's shell, shaking his hand and spraying water droplets. "Geez, Raph, couldn't you have used a towel?"

"I _did._ Thanks mom," Raph said, rolling his eyes. "You ready?"

"I've _been_ ready," Donnie teased as he handed his brother a trenchcoat. "So where are we going?"

"Well, let's just say, don't expect much," Raph chuckled as they exited the lair. "It's a pretty nasty dive of a place, but they don't check I.D."

"Sounds charming," Donnie said dryly.

"Hey, don't complain," Raph scoffed, and Donnie held his hands up in apology.

They walked on in silence until they reached the streets. They dodged through some fairly seedy looking alleys, and Donnie tried to not pay attention to the surroundings too much. Raph moved easily with confidence, and Donnie wondered not for the first time where his brother went when he disappeared topside. Wherever it was, he was certain it would _not_ be a place Donnie would want to spend his leisure time.

"Here," Raph said, pointing a finger up at a neon sign. It blinked frequently, as if it were trying to short out.

"'Dan's'?" he asked.

"It's warm and dry, don't you start bellyachin' now." Raph opened the painted black door and dragged his brother inside.

To Donnie's relief, the inside appeared friendlier than the dreary façade. The light was low, true, but at a glance it looked clean enough. It was also packed, though the general chatter wasn't very loud.

"Quit gawking," Raph muttered. He grabbed his brother's arm again and pulled him over to a corner table. The chairs were unstable and creaked horribly, but held their weight.

A tall, thin man walked over to them, not meeting their eyes. "Hey," he said in a low voice. "Usual?"

"Yeah," Raph said, his tone matching the man's, and he stalked off. He quickly returned with a bottle of spiced rum and two shot glasses, and left again just as silently.

"Um, where's the coke part?" Donnie asked as Raph filled both glasses.

"We're skipping that part," Raph chuckled. He held out one. "You promised."

Donnie frowned. He knew if he could drink the shot all at once, he would taste it less.

Raph raised his glass, and Donnie clinked his to it. "What are we drinking to?"

Raphael paused, thinking. "The future."

"Vague enough?" Donnie taunted, and saw a flare of anger in his brother's eyes. "Ahem. To the future."

They drank solemnly, and Donnie gasped after emptying his.

"Give it a sec," Raph said, smiling wryly at his brother.

Donnie swallowed again, feeling a warmth spreading across his chest. "T-that wasn't so bad."

"The next one is easier," Raph said, refilling their glasses, and Donnie shook his head.

"No, I promised you one."

"An' this is one bottle. Just one." Raph grinned at him.

Donnie groaned but accepted the shot, downing it quickly. "O-okay," he coughed. "That's enough for me."

"Easier, wasn't it?" Raph refilled the shots again, but left them on the table.

"So you and Casey come here every week?" Donnie asked, looking around surreptitiously.

"When we can," Raph shrugged. "Sometimes April has him doing busywork." He looked over at Donnie, guessing at his thoughts. "An' I don't ever drink alone."

"That's a relief," Donnie admitted, returning his gaze to his brother's. "I've worried."

"I know," Raph sighed. "I may be stupid but I'm not that stupid." He glared at his brother. "Not a word."

Donnie covered his hand, trying not to laugh.

Raphael downed a shot and poured another. Tentatively he pushed one toward Donnie, who steadily ignored it.

"Ya got an idea of what's going on, doncha?" Raph said, his brow furrowed.

Donnie smiled affectionately at the direct question. "Yes," he said simply.

Raphael looked around then lowered his voice further. "Look. I don't _want _to talk about it, but _not_ talking about it is driving me batshit crazy." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, making it creak in misery. "I didn't know who to talk to. Casey has his own problems with April. I love Mikey to death but he's a goofball. An' Leo…" He trailed off, his eyes unfocused.

"You don't want to talk to the source of the problem yet?" Donnie asked softly.

"Or ever," he grumped.

Steeling himself, Donnie finally accepted the shot and downed it. It was even easier- and to his surprise he found he actually liked the taste this time.

"You're the smarted person I know," Raphael added, refilling the glass.

"Just talk, Raph. Nothing you say will ever be repeated. I'm not here to judge you, either."

"I know." Raphael sighed heavily, his eyes dark with a mix of anger and fear. "I'm sick, Donnie."

"You're not sick," he replied calmly.

"I'm trying to talk," Raphael growled, and Donnie frowned apologetically.

"I thought Alex coming to visit would help, y'know?" He glared at Donnie, but his brother knew the anger wasn't directed at him. "Someone to distract me. Someone to focus on." Raph gestured helplessly. "And goddammit, I like her, but I don't _like_ her. But I was able to see why I don't." He buried his head in his hands. "I'm _sick._"

The silence stretched, and Donnie finally spoke up. "Why don't you like Lexi, Raph?"

"Are you thick?" Raphael scowled from between his fingers.

"Say it."

"B-because I… I want Leo." His voice was filled with anguish as he covered his face again. "I'm a sick _bastard._"

"Raph," Donnie said gently, reaching over to pull his hands down, "for the sake of this conversation, it will go a lot smoother if you stop the self-depreciating comments. They are unfair and unnecessary." He pushed one of the shot glasses toward his brother. Raphael downed it eagerly, still grimacing. "Especially because I don't think that of you," Donnie added.

"How can you not?" Raph exploded, glowering at his brother.

"Please, relax. Just listen." Donnie took a deep breath. "Of all of us, I admit I am the most forward-thinking of the group. I've already thought this through a year ago. About myself."

"Yourself?" Raph said, confused.

Donnie sighed. "I came to certain conclusions a year ago, rather. As you said before, we all had crushes on April, right?"

Raphael nodded, still puzzled.

"Well, after she and Casey got more serious, I realized the chances of finding a human mate were slim to none."

"But Alex-,"

"Is wonderful, but you have to admit it's a fluke she's even here," Donnie interrupted. "That's fact one. Fact two is our biology seems to be in line with humans, so our physical, mental and hormonal development is about the same as a human our age." He shrugged. "Many people our age begin looking for long term relationships. Fact three; we consist of the entirety of our species. Fact four…" Donnie paused, frowning. He reached forward and quickly downed another shot, craving the warmth again.

"Now look, don't be angry," Donnie said, a pleading note underlying his tone, "but I did some tests. We're not actually brothers. Genetic brothers."

"What?" Raph hissed, leaning forward over the table. He gripped Donnie's shoulder, squeezing painfully.

"We do not share the same DNA, if that makes any difference to you," Donnie explained further.

"How… When…" Raphael grasped for a sentence but none formed. He stared daggers at Donnie instead.

"S- so I combined those facts," Donnie continued, nervous but keeping Raph's gaze. "And I came to the conclusion that my best chance of a mate was within one of my 'brothers'."

"Yer crazy," Raphael breathed.

"Maybe we all are." Donnie sighed again. "So I tried."

"Tried what?" Raphael tilted his head at him.

"Sending subtle hints," he explained, gesturing weakly. "But he didn't pick up on any of them."

"Who?" Raphael growled.

Donnie just smiled slyly.

Raphael's face twisted in anger and he jabbed a finger at him. "_Don't you dare,_" he hissed.

"Jealous? Good," Donnie chuckled. "At least you know where your heart lies."

Raphael's mouth flapped open a few times, but he couldn't think of what to say. He downed another shot instead.

"I gave up after a few months," Donnie continued. "It became obvious that I wasn't getting through, and even if I did, there were no feelings there. Not for me, anyway," he added mysteriously.

Raphael blinked slowly at him, thinking. "But Don, we were _raised_ as brothers."

Donnie shrugged. "If you want to apply human rules to us, that's your business. I thought about that too. I decided I would rather not be alone all my life than cling to a principle that I didn't feel applied to my- _our_ unique situation." He leaned forward, gripping Raph's arm. "I don't think any less of you. You deserve happiness. We all do."

Raph's gaze was locked on his shot glass, a myriad of emotions crossing his face. Donnie sat there serenely, holding onto him.

Finally Raphael let out a long sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I can't do it."

"If I can, you most definitely can," Donnie smiled at him. "Raph, this is your area. The emotional department. You reign supreme amongst us here."

"But what if…" Raph asked, trailing off. The despair in his voice made Donnie's heart break.

"You can't think about that," he said, shaking his head. "You have two choices; continue the way you are and be miserable, or try and _know._"

"Leo would never…" Raph began again, stopping mid sentence and gesturing helplessly.

"Did you ever think I would've felt the same as you?" Donnie asked.

Raphael frowned. "Never."

"Then you don't know." Donnie patted his arm fondly. "You should talk to him. Social cues don't work on him. Learn from my mistake." He laughed.

"B- but what do I say?" Raphael said despondently.

"Speak from your heart, Raph. It won't let you down." He blinked, squinting at Raph. "The floor is starting to move."

Raphael looked up, finally smiling. "That means you need two more shots."

"Oh. Okay."

The tense moment had passed, and their conversation turned to friendly banter. Raphael was very happy to change the subject; he'd had about as much of that discussion as he could take. He amused himself by seeing how much of the rest of the bottle he could get Donnie to drink. Donnie was much more susceptible to the alcohol's effects. Raphael was surprised that he didn't see Don differently after their talk; he was the same old genius. The same old brother.

Just very, very drunk.

Raphael remembered thinking he'd probably pay for their night out as they stumbled back to the lair. Thinking vaguely that Donnie should stay out of Master Splinter's sight in the morning. It took all his meager concentration to lead them home. Donnie was completely fucked up, which amused the still sober part of Raphael's brain.

They traded slurred goodnight's, and Donnie staggered to his bed, never happier to see a pillow in his life. He pulled the blanket back and fell into bed, forgetting to pull it back over him. Seconds after his head hit the pillow, he was asleep.

So he didn't see Alex sitting up in bed next to him, eyes wide.

[Author's Note]

Wrong room, Donnie! *snerk*


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty-One

Pain lanced through his head, and some part of Donnie's conscious brain recognized that if he fully woke up, he was going to regret it. He rolled in bed slightly, and the pain repeated, insistent. He groaned as sleep slowly faded away, and he mentally assessed himself.

His arms were killing him. His legs were killing him. Hell, his whole body hurt. But not like his head. He felt like there were a thousand tiny Technodromes trying to drill their way out from behind his eyes, and he kept them closed, horrified to open them.

He sighed softly. Even _that_ hurt. Whimpering, he crushed his pillow to his chest, wanting desperately to go back to sleep.

His pillow moved.

He tensed, making a great effort to open one bloodshot eye. A mass of golden brown curls were tickling his chin, and he blinked at it stupidly. What the hell was that?

"Mmm," Alex muttered, turning in her sleep to get more comfortable in his arms.

He opened his mouth to scream, but his throat was so dry no sound came. He settled instead for gripping her shoulders and pushing her away violently.

"Wha-," she snorted, rubbing her eyes.

Terrified, unable to think, he scrambled away from her, but he hadn't realized he was quite so close to the edge of the bed. With a dull thud, he fell to the floor, and he finally found his voice.

"_Oh fuck,_" he moaned, clutching his head. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck."

"Wuzzat for?" she asked sleepily then blinked. Where'd he gone? She scooted to the edge of the bed and peered down at him. "Hey, you okay?"

"No," he mouthed back at her.

She watched him for a moment, then sighed and crawled out of bed. She pulled a faded blue bathrobe over her pajamas and knelt by him. She spoke in whispers.

"I'm going to help you get back onto the bed," she said gently.

"No," he moaned. He never wanted to move again as long as he lived.

"It'll hurt for a moment but that will pass. C'mon. You can't lie on the floor all day." She hooked her hands under his arms. "On the count of three."

It took two tries, but finally she had him sitting up on the bed. He gripped the edge of the mattress, swaying dangerously.

"I'll be right back. You stay there," she said.

"B- but-,"

"Stay there," she replied more firmly. With a swish of blue, she disappeared from his vision and he heard the door click shut.

Wearily he tried to focus his thoughts. He remembered the pub. He remembered talking to Raph. He furrowed his brow in concentration then moaned softly as his eyes ached in response.

He could remember four- or was it five?- shots he'd had. Surely he'd only had five. Hell, he'd only wanted one. Damn Raphael.

He barely recalled the trip home, but he was sure he'd thrown up at least once.

Carefully he tilted his head, looking around the room. It was definitely his room, not the lab. He must've come here by mistake last night.

His head throbbed as heat crept up his face. Had he done anything to Lexi?

Had _they_ done anything…?

When Alex returned, Donnie was in full panic mode, his eyes wide and his breaths shallow and ragged.

"Shhh," she said soothingly, sitting beside him and rubbing his shoulder gently. He winced at the touch but didn't have the energy to move away. She pressed two aspirin into his hand.

"Take these," she said. She then handed him a tall glass of water after he'd put those on his tongue. He noticed she'd put a straw in the glass so he wouldn't have to tilt his head. She was an angel.

"Drink as much of that as you can. Take your time," she whispered encouragingly.

He slowly emptied the glass, and although his stomach didn't appreciate the water, his throat began to feel better.

"I am- I am so sorry," he stuttered, but she hushed him.

"Just drink."

Obediently he sipped the last bit of water down. She took the glass and set it on the dresser, where he saw another full one waiting for later.

Careful to not jostle him, she crawled behind him on the bed and fluffed his pillow, setting it vertically against the wall. "Lean back here," she said, putting a hand on his arm to guide him.

"Wanna lay down," he groaned, but she shook her head.

"You can lie down after you've drank the second glass of water." She reached up and gingerly untied his bandana, and he sighed in relief when she removed it. "Now lean your head back."

Cautiously he tilted his head back, his neck screaming in pain, and nestled it into the pillow.

"I'm going to put something on your forehead," she warned. "Keep your eyes closed." She placed a cool, damp rag on his face, and he sighed again.

"I'm gonna kill Raph," he whispered. "When I can move."

She chuckled softly. "Rough night, huh?"

"Bastard," he muttered. "Lexi, I don't even remember getting home last night."

She grabbed her pillow and placed it next to his, settling down beside him. She rested her head on his shoulder gently. "I was pretty surprised."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm not." She cuddled closer to him. "Donnie, do you know I slept for almost eight hours last night?"

He grimaced as her voice raised, and she dropped it back to a whisper.

"I've been having night terrors," she explained. "Raph told me Leo used to have them. I haven't gotten more than three or four hours of sleep a night for over a month."

He frowned silently.

"But last night, after you got home," she said, her voice full of amazement, "I could go right back to sleep after I woke up. I would reach over," she closed her hand around his shyly, "and hold your hand, and go right back to sleep." She looked up at him in concern. "I hope you don't mind."

"Lexi," he said, doing his best to sound frustrated, "I'm the one who should ask you that. I invaded your privacy in the most barbaric fashion." He reached up to press the cloth to his forehead, feeling the coolness leaving.

"Well, I'm glad you did," she replied stubbornly. She reached up and plucked the rag from beneath his fingers, and he whimpered as it left his face. "Shhh, I'm just going to cool it back down." She twirled it in the air for a moment before refolding it and returning it.

"I- I don't know what to say," he finally admitted.

"Then don't say anything."

"Except I'm never, _ever_ drinking again."

"Might be a good idea," she chuckled. She reached up and put a finger to his lips. "Just rest. I'll get you the other glass of water whenever you want it."

They sat in silence, each wrapped in their own thoughts. Donnie's initial panic subsided finally, as Lexi didn't appear upset in the least. His head throbbed slightly less as he calmed down, and he occupied his mind with the many and varied ways he was going to punish his brother.

Alex was still sleepy and was quite content to rest. She was fairly sure this was Donnie's first hangover, and she felt awful for him. She wished she could do more, but his body was going to have to detox over the day. All she could do was make him keep drinking water. Maybe she could tempt him with some lunch later. She looked down at her hand still entwined with his, and smiled.

A few moments later, her head drooped and she began snoring softly. Slowly he reached for the second glass, placing the straw in it and leaning back with it. He raised his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, moaning as pain danced on his supersensitive skin. She settled against his chest and he sat there sipping his water.

Sure, he felt like he'd been hit by a bus.

But Lexi made it all okay.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alex was dreaming of cats when she woke up. She moaned softly, feeling stiff as she flexed her shoulders. She and Donnie had apparently fallen asleep against the wall.

Blinking, she still heard the purring from her interrupted dream, and she tilted her head, listening. To her surprise, it seemed to be coming from Donnie. She put her ear to his chest, then chuckled softly. He was making a deep, rumbling sound, which rose and fell independent of his breathing pattern. Now that was interesting!

She kept her head pressed to his chest, reaching up to place her hand on it too, feeling the reverberation with her fingers. She giggled again, louder this time.

Still sound sensitive, her amused chuckles woke him up before long. Blearily he opened one eye, looking down at her questioningly.

Silently she pointed to his chest, grinning at him before returning her head against it.

Donnie froze. He was making The Sound. Fuck.

"How do you do that?" she asked, her voice muffled against his carapace.

_You can lie,_ he told himself firmly. _Just this once._

"It's, uh, involuntary. All of us do it. It's when we're, uh, very content and happy." He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't keep asking questions. It was only a half lie. He was too embarrassed to tell her that they all chirred involuntarily when sexually aroused.

"I like it!" she whispered back. She blushed slightly. "I make you happy?" she asked, her voice hushed.

"Of course," he said, trying to not sound uncomfortable.

She gave him a smile and then frowned in disappointment when the sound grew fainter as Donnie's panic rose. "Keep doing it."

"I can't control it."

She pouted up at him, and he shrugged. He clutched his head, noticing his headache was only half as bad as it had been. Which wasn't saying much; rather than a bus, now he felt like he'd been hit by only, say, a sedan.

"How do you feel?" She gently touched his forehead. "Sorry I fell back asleep."

"Don't apologize, I did too," he smiled, closing his eyes. "I feel some better. I think I'm hungry."

"Oh good!" She sat up, her eyes excited. "What do you want? I'll make you anything!"

"Nothing fancy," he added hastily. "I'm hungry and sick all at once. I'd better eat light."

"Toast? Eggs? Cereal? Biscuits?"

He gave her thumbs up on the last suggestion. "And more water?" he begged.

"Of course." She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek, lingering a second longer than he'd anticipated, and he eased an eye open to look down at her. She patted his shoulder and slipped out of the room, careful to not let in too much light. He relaxed while she was gone, taking slow deep breaths. Her touch was setting his skin on fire again, and although she had been delighted at his chirring, he was _not_ going to start that up again if he could help it.

She returned with a glass of water and a freshly damp rag. After she made sure he was comfortable, she told him she and Mikey were going to cook, and she would be back in a little while. Not wanting to move, he was content to rest in the dark room.

"Oh, and I told Mikey this morning that I moved you up here so I could care for you better," she added before she left. She gave him a conspiratorial wink, then ducked out and skipped down the stairs.

Mikey was already gathering ingredients when she arrived back in the kitchen.

"Poor Donnie," Mikey said, frowning to himself.

"He'll be fine," she assured him, pulling a mixing bowl down from the cupboard. "I gave him TLC this morning, now he needs to sleep it off."

"Lucky," Mikey said wistfully, and she nudged him.

"Sorry I missed out on the big breakfast."

"There wasn't one," he replied mournfully. "Raph hasn't left his room either. It was just Leo and me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck from behind playfully and gave him a hug. "We'll have a big supper to make up for it."

"Well… okay." He smiled over his shoulder at her. "Want to cook some bacon for us too?"

"Yes!" She grabbed a frying pan and set it on the stove before closing the cabinet.

"Hey Alex?"

She looked around the kitchen wall and spotted Leo on the couch. "What's up?"

"How's Donnie doing?" he asked, getting up and walking over.

"He's better now. He'll improve as the day wears on."

Leo sent a furious glare up at Raphael's closed door above them. "I'm going to murder Raph if he ever shows his face."

"I doubt he pinned Donnie down and made him drink," she said lightly, but Leo's expression just darkened.

"He should've known better," he snapped.

"Raph or Donnie?" she asked gently.

"Both!"

She put a hand on his arm, squeezing it to get his attention. "Leo, I know you're worried. Donnie's already sworn to never drink again. Don't be hard on him; he's already learned his lesson."

Leo lowered his glare to the floor and turned back to the couch, muttering.

"Don't mind him," Mikey said, drawing her back into the kitchen. "He's just overprotective."

"Probably with good reason," she said diplomatically. She put her arm on his shoulder and leaned on him. "Yum, that bacon looks good."

"Sure does! You wanna mix or fry?"

"I'll mix." She measured out the shortening into the bowl of flour and began cutting it in. "Oops. Did you preheat the stove?"

"Err, no." He reached over and switched it on. "Sorry. Got distracted."

"You?" she teased. "Never!"

To her surprise, he didn't kid back; he just shrugged. "I'm not perfect."

"Hey," she said, frowning. "I think you are."

"You do?" He looked up at her, eyes shining.

"Of course I do." She grabbed him in a quick hug again.

He blushed, ducking his head over the pan to hide his face.

Mikey was oddly quiet while they cooked, and Alex didn't venture to talk. It wasn't a comfortable silence like she usually had with Donnie, but didn't want to interrupt his thoughts.

After she took two buttered biscuits and a piece of bacon to Donnie, she returned downstairs. Leo joined them for the light lunch, still moody and silent. Unused to the tension in the air, she ate quickly and disappeared upstairs, claiming she wanted to check up on Donnie yet again but mostly wanting to leave the brothers to their awkward silence.

Lost in his own thoughts, Leo didn't notice how quiet Mikey had been until his youngest brother spoke up.

"D'you think she likes me?" Mikey said, resting his chin in his hands.

Leonardo snapped out of his angry reverie, glancing over in surprise. "Of course she does."

"Hmph. You've got your head in the clouds again," Mikey grumbled. "Nevermind."

"Sorry Mikey," Leo sighed. "I'm angry right now. Not at you."

"I know." He mimicked Leo's sigh. "I'm gonna go take a shower."

Leo just nodded, already slipping back into his irritated thoughts.

Mikey had been gone only moments before Leo heard someone coming down the stairs. He was mildly surprised when he saw it was Raphael, and his anger flared. He rose, hostility outlining his every movement.

Raphael's eyes were bloodshot, but he otherwise seemed stable. He caught Leo's stance and groaned. "Please, Leo, I've got a headache the size of New York City."

"How dare you," Leo growled, closing the distance between them and pushing Raph's shoulder roughly. "You ought to have known better. Have you no sense _whatsoever?_"

"Geez, Leo, what's the big deal? I go drinking on every Tuesday." He gave his eldest brother a puzzled look.

"Donatello is bedridden with a hangover."

"Oh." Raphael scrunched his face, trying to remember something and chuckled. "Well, that's no surprise." Then his face fell, connecting Donnie's predicament with Leo's enmity. "Now look, Leo; Don is a big boy-,"

"And you _know_ he doesn't drink," Leo seethed. "How could you do that to him?"

Raphael sighed. "Okay, so he overdid it a bit and I let him."

"_A bit?_" Leo exploded, jabbed a finger into his brother's chest. "I- I can't believe you!"

"Hey," Raphael retorted, knocking Leo's hand away, "we needed that. So fuck you, Leo. Mind your own goddamn business."

"You needed to get him drunk? What, were you planning on handing him over to the local thugs on a platter? What if you'd been found? Held up? Ambushed?"

As he had no reply, Raphael remained silent, staring Leo down.

"I'm disgusted with you," Leo finally snarled before he turned and walked away toward the dojo.

Raphael kicked one of the table legs angrily. "So am I."

[Author's Notes]

Poor Raph. He'll get a break soon, I promise. If he can get his act together!

Estar: Danke for the sweet reply-review! Hopefully you enjoyed a blitzed Donnie as much as I did writing that tidbit. So fun. *snerk*

Emmaisemo: Once again, thank you for continuing to reply! I'm so glad you're still enjoying the story! Man, it's dragging on a bit isn't it? :P It's moving faster now.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty-Three

So Don was hungover.

Leo was fuming in the dojo.

Alex was who-knows-where.

Same with Mikey.

Raph sighed as he started some coffee. Maybe Don would like some, if his headache was tapering off at all yet. Raph found it hard to feel too remorseful about Don's hangover- he was sorry, certainly, but _damn_ that had been fun. Creepy conversation notwithstanding.

He was hungover, but he'd had many before, and he'd have many in the future. He'd slept off what he could, and was actually looking forward to some company. But as soon as he'd come down, Leo had split and everyone else was busy or gone. Raph snorted at himself. He was actually moping.

He spent a good ten minutes sipping his mug of coffee, musing over his and Don's talk. The more he thought about it, the more Don's logic made sense. He sighed yet again, looking in the direction of the dojo. Leo wouldn't be receptive to a heart-to-heart talk today, which was unfortunate. Raphael didn't make decisions lightly, and now that Don had advised him to broach the subject with Leo, he was eager to get it done and over with, no matter the outcome.

He refilled the mug and carried it to the lab, but to his surprise he couldn't find Don anywhere. He wandered the lair for a few minutes, checking the library and- very briefly- the dojo. Confused, he ended back at the kitchen.

"Hey Raph," Alex said softly, coming down the stairs. "Good to see you up. How are you feeling?"

"Fine," he lied. "Hey, where's Don?"

She jerked a thumb behind her. "I put him in his real room for today. He can rest easier in there."

"Made him some coffee," he said, holding up the mug. "Thought I'd tempt him with it as an apology."

"Watch out, he's a bit… peeved," she said, though her smiled belied her words. "Although he couldn't kill a flea in his condition."

Raphael grimaced. "Poor guy. I'm gonna check in on him anyway."

"He'll like that," she said warmly.

"Let's hope," he replied, taking the stairs two at a time. After knocking gently on the door, he peeked around it. "Don?"

"If I could raise my voice, I'd yell at you," Donnie mumbled in greeting. "But I hate you, just so you know."

"That's okay, seems to be the theme for today," Raph chuckled softly. He stepped inside. "Fancy some coffee? Good pick-me-up."

He could see Don sitting up in bed as his eyes adjusted, motioning him over. Silently he padded to the bed and offered his brother the steaming mug.

"Eaten anything?" Raph asked, sitting on the bed slowly.

"A little. Stomach isn't too happy with me."

"Good." Raphael nodded. "Don, I shouldn't have let you drink so much. I was really upset and…" He gestured regretfully. "I didn't think."

"Is that your idea of an apology? Because it sucks." Donnie smiled at him over the mug.

"Best you'll get," Raph grinned back. "Because I'm already planning next Tuesday."

"Oh hell no," Donnie groaned.

"Like you said, just one drink. Maybe two?"

"I never want to see alcohol again!"

"Okay, okay. Then just sit with me." Raphael gave him a soft smile. "As long as I'm not alone."

"I'm up for that anytime, Raph." Donnie sipped the coffee again. "You just have to ask."

Raph sat and watched Don finish the mug, and the older brother noticed Raph's thoughtful expression- one he didn't wear terribly often.

"What's eating you, Raph?"

"Huh? Oh, nothin'."

"Don't start talking to me then stop. You'll break my heart," Donnie teased.

Raphael shrugged. "Leo gave me the Fearless Leader routine. He blames me for your, ah, condition."

Donnie sighed. "I drank the shots. You're not responsible for me."

"He seems to think so."

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret," Donnie said, pulling Raph closer and dropping his voice further. "Leo isn't perfect."

Raphael snorted. "He damn well acts like it."

"It's a defense mechanism."

Raphael snapped his fingers. "Alex said something like that before."

"What about?"

"She said Mike uses humour as a defense mechanism."

Donnie blinked at him, then nodded. "Yes, he does. I lock myself away in the lab. You use anger. Leo uses inscrutability."

"Wha?"

Donnie frowned. "His Fearless Leader mask."

"Oh."

"You of all people should understand what he says and what he feels could be two totally different ideas."

"Guess so." He stood, taking the empty mug from Donnie. "I am sorry, Don."

"Again, it's not your fault. But I'm still kicking your ass in the dojo once I can stand."

"You're welcome to try," Raph hissed, grinning evilly. Don made a valiant effort to match it.

"You keep resting," Raph added, his face relaxing to a fond smile. "Maybe you can come down for dinner."

"I hope so."

Raphael hesitated, then patted Donnie's head softly, reminiscent of how he had as a child. "Thanks for everything, Don."

"Don't mention it." Donnie leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

Now that he knew Don was going to be fine, Raphael decided a long, hot shower might wash away more of his headache. The caffeine was already helping him feel more awake, although it only made him thirstier. He paused on the landing, debating on a shower or water first, finally deciding on the shower. The fewer times he had to traverse the stairs today, the better.

The beaten metal "In Use" sign Don had made for Alex was on the restroom door, and Raph paused. Alex was downstairs- he could see her sitting on the couch over the railing. The bathroom was communal, as they'd never had any long-term visitors, and Alex had insisted on either a sign or a lock on the door for privacy. She must've left the sign up by accident. Shrugging, he pushed the door open, rubbing his face lazily.

He was mildly surprised to see Mikey over the half wall that surrounded the large gym style shower. His brother whirled to give him an uncharacteristic glare. Figuring Leo had talked Mikey against him as well, he just waved as he walked over.

"Can't you read?" Mikey snapped.

"Wha?" Raph peered closely at him. "You put Alex's sign up?"

Mikey turned back toward the running water, his words lost in a mutter.

"Geez, Mike," Raph sighed. "What's your problem? Let's get it over with; I've got a headache to take care of."

"I figured you of all of us would respect privacy," Mikey said louder, his shoulders hunched.

Raph's eyes narrowed. Was he more hungover than he thought, or was Mike not making much sense? He stepped under the shower spray and then jumped back with a yelp. It was stone cold.

"_Now_ will you leave me alone?" Mike growled.

Raphael began to chuckle, and once he started he couldn't stop, even though his head was killing him. "You're supposed to take care of that before you leave your room, Mike."

"You think you're so funny," Mike sneered, turning to his brother and pushing him angrily. "You think you can just keep walking all over us? Well I'm sick of it."

Raphael raised a brow at him. "Directing your _tension_ elsewhere, eh Mike?"

"If it involves shutting your mouth," his youngest brother scowled.

"If you want a fight…" Raphael dropped his weight on his back foot and beckoned his brother forward.

To his surprise, Mike didn't hesitate and lunged forward, tackling him. With his slowed reflexes, Raph decided to roll with his weight and flung his brother off him once his shell hit the ground. Mike turned, skidding slightly on the wet floor, and launched himself on top of him, throwing punches at his neck and face. Desperate to protect his throbbing head, all Raphael could focus on was blocking. After a moment he could feel the blows lighten, and he braced a foot against the stall wall nearby. Shifting his weight again, he was able to wrestle Mike off him and pin him against the wall and the floor.

"Fuck, Mike, what's gotten into you?" Raphael growled.

Michaelangelo didn't respond, just struggled vainly against his brother's hold.

"I ain't letting you up 'til you answer me," Raph frowned.

"You wouldn't care," Mikey mumbled, still thrashing.

"If I didn't care, I wouldn't ask, moron." He tilted his head. "Or lemme guess. Cold shower in the middle of the day. You got a bit hot under the shell, hmm?" He leaned down, pressing his hold more firmly. "Did Alex sit a bit too close for comfort?"

A thought crossed Mikey's face, but he didn't reply.

"Is that it?" Raphael leaned his head back, laughing. "Geez, Mike, it's not a big deal."

"It's not Alex!" Mike said suddenly, narrowing his eyes. He ceased his struggles to get Raph's attention.

Raphael blinked down at him. "Who?"

Mikey leaned his head forward, blue eyes serious. "You."

Raphael's grip went slack as he gaped at his brother- which was what Mikey was expecting. Mike was able to bring a knee up between them and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending his older brother sprawling against the floor. Mike stood up and brushed himself off, walking over to crouch in front of Raphael.

"Gotcha!" Mike grinned, poking him in the middle of his forehead.

"What- the- fuck-," Raph stuttered, but Mike put a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping him down easily.

"How do _you_ like it?" Mike asked. "I've been taking shit like that from you for a few months. Not fun, is it?"

"I _never_ said-," Raph exploded, but Mike interrupted him.

"No, but you say the most inane, offensive things and you never say you're sorry!" Mikey scowled at him. "I'm drawing the line. This is _it._ You're going to go back to like you've always been, or I'm going to play every dirty trick in the book on you." Michaelangelo's evil smile sent a shiver down Raph's spine. "And trust me, Raph, I know them all."

"Okay! Okay!" Raph grunted as he tried to scoot away from Mikey's pressing hand.

"Promise me."

Raphael looked up, hearing Mikey's voice change. Only then did he see the hurt under the angry expression.

"Mike, I'm sorry. And I promise I'll stop being a rampant asshole."

He gave Raphael a less feral grin and reached over to help him stand. "That's good enough for me."

"Geez, Mike," Raphael grumbled, rubbing his aching head. "What brought this up?"

Mikey shrugged, walking back to the shower and turning the heat on. "Like I said, I'm drawing the line. I can't take it anymore."

Raphael hunched his shoulders, following him over. "I never meant to make you take anything. I've been having a lot of… personal problems lately. But I'm about to get them sorted out."

"Good."

Raphael could hear the sadness in his voice, and he turned Mikey to face him. It wasn't just the water wetting his cheeks, and he sighed.

"Oh c'mon Mikey, don't cry."

"I d-don't want just two brothers," Mikey sniffled. "I want you, too, but you've been so mean. You won't talk to anyone…"

Raphael wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "It's ok, Mike. It's going to be fine. _We're_ going to be fine."

"I believe you," Mikey replied, smiling. "You never break your promises."

"Feel better now?"

Mikey nodded.

"Great. So, tell me something, Mike…"

"What?"

"When did you grow up?"

Mikey growled, dropping his stance, and Raphael held up his hands defensively.

"I'm bein' serious! Really." He scuffed his younger brother on the top of his head.

Mikey just shrugged.

"Well, call me out on bein' an asshole anytime. I'm sure I need to be taken down a few pegs every now an' then."

Mikey gave him that evil grin again. "Sure thing."

[Author's Note]

Even Mikey has limits!

I always thought an angry Mike would be as terrifying as a truly angry Donnie. It's those peaceful ones you have to watch out for…


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty-Four

When Leonardo finally emerged from the dojo a few hours later, he was surprised at the gathering he found. As usual, Mikey and Alex were in the kitchen, arguing over what to cook for supper. Donnie was sitting at the table, propped by two pillows. His eyes were at half-mast, and he occasionally winced at certain sounds, but otherwise appeared to be doing fine. He had his head cupped in his hands, elbows resting on the table as he did his best to follow the conversation.

To Leonardo's amazement, Raphael was sitting beside him. He had a strong hand on his brother's shoulder, and was poking fun at Mikey and Alex alike. The atmosphere was relaxed; normal.

Raphael wasn't sulking or had left the lair. Maybe that night out with Donnie _was_ exactly what they had needed. Guilt crept into his mind, but he quashed it momentarily. It looked to be a wonderful family evening, like they used to have all the time and that Leo had taken for granted. He wasn't going to ruin it by being a grouch- even if Raphael deserved at least _some_ of his anger. He could take out his frustration on his younger brother in the dojo tomorrow.

"Leo!" Mikey saw him first. "Get over here and tell Alex we need to make cheese soufflés."

"I told you, Donnie doesn't want that for supper," Alex scowled. "Nor me."

"You said you loved cheese!"

"Not all the time!"

"Well, _I_ want them!"

Donnie winced even as he gave Leo an amused smile.

"Hey, hey," Leo admonished. "Who says we can't make two different meals?" He sat down, swallowing his pride and giving Raphael a friendly smile. Leonardo almost fell out of his chair when his brother paused, then returned it.

"Because we both need the oven, and I'm _hungry,_" Alex pouted.

"Then make both; match each other for it," Leo replied, mimicking rock-paper-scissors with one hand.

Mikey and Alex immediately turned to face each other, expressions deadly serious.

"I should take bets," Raphael mused.

"Why couldn't we just vote?" Donnie said in a low voice, raising an eyebrow at the two.

Seconds later, Mikey whooped with joy. Alex sighed at him.

"Fine, but I've got to eat something while we cook." She poked her head in the fridge, rummaging around noisily. "Hey, anyone want to share this can of mixed fruit?" She picked it up, checking the date.

Donnie wrinkled his nose. "Too sweet."

"I'll take some." Raphael looked at Leo, not quite meeting his gaze. "What about you, Fearless Leader?"

Leo gave him a wry smile. "If you've left the embittered Raphael in his room, Fearless Leader was left in the dojo."

Raphael's face broke into another smile as he nodded.

"Oooh-kay," Mikey interrupted, giving his brothers an odd look. "Just dump it in a bowl and we'll snack on it. Let's get these things going, Alex!"

"Alright already," she grumbled.

They found out why Alex was so resistant to the soufflé idea when they realized almost an hour had gone by and the soufflés were just finally ready to start cooking. Apparently the cooking was a delicate process and Mikey fidgeted constantly, turning the oven light on often to look at the creations. Alex had given up her idea of a casserole and threw together a small salad for everyone to go with the soufflés. By the time the food was on the table, they were all hungry; even Donnie was tempted to try a little.

"So, I might've found an apartment," Alex piped up while they were eating.

"Really?" Raph and Donnie chorused.

She nodded. "I haven't seen it yet, but I emailed the realtor yesterday. It looks lovely! It's not terribly big, but it has a large living room that could double as my studio. And it would be only about twenty minutes from here."

"I hope that means you plan on visiting often," Leo smiled at her.

"As long as you can stand it."

"Just stay here!" Mikey said, throwing an arm around her and using his other to gesture at the lair. "I mean, just look at it! Damp floors, cold air, charming company. What more could you want?"

"A bathtub?" she laughed.

"That can be arranged," Donnie replied softly. He tilted his head, and Raphael knew he was already trying to work out the plumbing for such a feat.

"As much as we love Alex being here, she does need her own space," Leo reminded Mikey gently. "I'm sure you can tempt her down here often."

Mikey beamed back at him, then at Alex, who nodded.

"I'm desperate to not overstay my welcome," she said. "And no arguments about that. The reason I bring this up is because I think I would like to cash in on your offer to help me move."

"We'd love to," Leo said, and his brothers echoed agreement.

"Tom- my mother's accountant- said he can get an estate sale set up soon, so I would need to be moved out and anything I want taken from the house," she explained further. "I want this over and done with as quickly as possible." She sighed, rolling one of her shoulders. "But there's also something I want to ask you guys' opinion about."

They raised their eyes to hers.

"I have a friend, Heather. Sometimes I go to her about what I call 'big sister' stuff. Things I would never have asked my parents. I trust her judgment. She says I should spend one more night in the house, alone, for closure. What do you think?"

The brothers were silent for a moment, thinking. Raphael finally spoke up.

"You should do it. Stay there one night."

"Why?"

He frowned, his brows knitting. "You may not have had the best relationship with her, but she was your mother. The only one you'll ever have. An' family ties are… well…" He shot a glance at Leonardo. "Confusing, to say the least. Give it one night. Even if nothing comes of it, one potentially wasted night is worth the chance it might do some good."

"Well put," Donnie murmured.

"I agree," Alex said reluctantly. "Alright. I'll ask Tom how soon he can get things rolling at the stupid meeting tomorrow."

"Your meeting is tomorrow?" Donnie asked.

"Yes, and you're not going."

He frowned back at her, reaching up to touch his temples when his eyes ached. "Yes, I am."

She crossed her arms, staring at him stubbornly.

"I've got a headache; I don't have the Black Plague," he scoffed. "I'm going."

Alex continued to stare unwaveringly.

"If you think the silent treatment will work, it won't." He sipped his water, ignoring the glare.

Raphael leaned over to Leo and dropped his voice to an obvious whisper. "See, _this_ is when the popcorn would be nice."

"I'd give up, Alex," Mikey said as he stood and began gathering empty plates. "He may not look it, but Donnie is completely and utterly stubborn." He pointed to a faint scar on his left elbow. "I didn't watch thirty stitches. Guess what? I got thirty stitches."

"Hell, I remember that," Raphael sniggered.

"So do I," Leo chuckled. "You went the entire night unscathed, then fell down a fire escape."

"Thanks for sharing," Mikey glowered at them.

"Hey you brought it up!" Raphael laughed.

Mikey noticed neither Donnie nor Alex had moved. "Guess it doesn't matter; she's not listening anyway." He hunched his shoulders and turned to the sink, clanging the dishes noisily in protest.

"I think I'll pass on waiting to see who wins this one," Leo said, standing also and stretching. "I have a feeling they'll be at it for some time." He gave Raphael another smile, patted Donnie's head, then walked back to the dojo.

The further Leo walked from the comfortable scene, the more anxious he became. He considered meditation, but finally decided against it. A physical workout would exhaust more energy, and for once, he didn't want to have to think.

The dinner had seemed surreal, and though he had enjoyed it, he knew it was not the norm anymore. He felt like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop; for Raphael to burst in and start up nonsense.

Leo stepped up to one of the punching bags, staring it down before he rained a flurry of blows on it.

He wanted to believe Raph had shed his aggressive behavior; wanted it so desperately that he was afraid. He couldn't stand the wall that had been hung between them, and the idea that it might be gone was almost too much to hope for.

He bent on his knees and then sent a solid kick into the bag. He didn't _want_ to think, he reminded himself sternly. He threw a few wild haymakers at the bag for good measure.

He hadn't put the wall there. Had he? Had he done something unforgivable and hadn't even noticed? He knew that he could be blindsided just like any of his brothers; he wasn't perfect. But wouldn't Raph have told him?

Leo scowled through the next series of punches. It was useless to quiet his mind, apparently, but the exercise felt good.

He had asked countless times in countless ways over the last few months, but Raph refused to talk. They _always_ talked. This new behavior was so confusing.

Leonardo felt his chest constrict. What if this new behavior was simply who Raphael was now? The bond they shared from childhood might finally be shelved.

He put a hand on the cool wall, leaning on it slightly. He had to start considering that possibility. They were all growing up- even the eternal child that was Mikey- and perhaps this was just who he was.

"Some ninja you are," Raphael smirked in his ear, and Leo stiffened, eyes wide.

"I was… lost in thought," Leo said sharply, turning to face him.

"Fearless Leader stuff?" Raphael teased, leaning against the wall and crossing his feet leisurely.

"I did say I left him in the dojo," Leo said neutrally. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Fuck, Leo, don't be so formal," he laughed, then sobered when Leo's expression didn't change. He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I figured you'd wanna talk to me."

"About what?"

"Don."

Leonardo shrugged. "I expressed my displeasure. To be honest, I can see you were telling the truth when you said it did you good. If you could do that without Donnie getting sick, I have no issue with such an outing, or you."

Raphael stared at him for a moment before speaking. "That's it?"

"That's it."

"Okay then." Raph turned to leave, but Leo stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"You came in here to talk to me?" he asked, trying to keep the hopefulness from his voice.

"Yeah." Raphael shrugged. "Or rather, be talked _at_. I figured you'd have somethin' else to say after you cooled down."

Leo had plenty to say, and no words. He just nodded silently at Raph as he walked away. Just before closing the dojo door, Raph called over his shoulder.

"By the way, Don won."

Donatello smiled, hearing Raphael's remark before the lab door closed further. Not only had he won that little dispute, but he had also convinced her to come to the lab with him and watch him tinker for an hour or two before returning to sleep. She had insisted on staying with him just in case he started feeling worse again. He got the impression she wasn't quite telling the truth, but he chalked it down to wishful thinking. He wanted her to insist on staying with him because she wanted to be with him. Period.

He rubbed his face, the scattered parts on the workbench blurring. Was he really going to sit here and think about that when she was right next to him? Surely his senses weren't suffering that badly.

"Hey Donnie?" she said softly, blessedly breaking his chain of thought.

"Mmm?"

"I- I want to ask a big favour," she said hesitantly, and he brought his gaze up to meet hers.

"You have only to ask," he said grandly.

She fidgeted with a copper wire, winding and unwinding it around her fingers. "I know this is a lot to ask; I mean, it would help me so much but I don't want you to think I'm being forward or implying anything-,"

"Lexi," he sighed, "please, just ask. I promise I won't read anything into it."

She paused, studying his face to assess his sincerity, then said, "Would you sleep in your room again tonight? With me?" She twisted the wire tightly, the skin reddening. "It's just that I slept so very well last night. And it was so comforting. And totally not weird."

Donatello et his breath out slowly, not realizing he had been holding it. "I'm not sure," he said. "But I want to help you."

"Please," she begged. "I promise if you feel strange at all you can leave and I won't ask again."

He sat there silently, turning the idea over in his mind. It was a great deal of trust and expectation she was putting on his shoulders. He desperately wanted to be there for her, but this was a little too much like playing with fire. The thought of holding her in his arms all night made him feel slightly dizzy. He knew he was physically attracted to her; would that become a potentially embarrassing problem?

If his brothers found out, there would be a lot of awkward questions as well. He knew they would automatically assume the worst. If he were careful, though, they wouldn't have such an opportunity.

"Please," she said, softer this time. Her eyes looked haunted, and he knew she was already dreading going to sleep, whether he was with her or not. He might as well play the gallant hero; he rarely had a chance to.

"We'll try it this one night," he finally said.

She wrapped her hands around his arm, pressing her face against his shoulder. "Oh thank you, thank you Donnie," she whispered.

Later that night, he was jostled awake by Lexi curling into his embrace, and he decided it was the best decision he'd made in his life.

[Author's Note]

Okay, so it took a good two days (and two full nights) of playing to get "OMG CATACLYSM!1one" to wear off. Whew. Now I can go back to writing. :3

This update is inspired and brought to you due to Curly-Mop. I honestly thought I'd just go lose myself in my new game for a week and no one would care. I can't stress enough how much even short reviews excite me. This story is, for several reasons, actually very important to me, and I continue to be amazed that people not only enjoy it, but anticipate new chapters.

Curly-Mop: Wow. (And not the game.) I mean, wow. Mere words _cannot_ convey my thankfulness to you, but I'll do my best. Your comments left on my DA page have motivated me! And given me such confidence! You have many e-hugs sent your way, along with e-cookies.

And now, without further ado, updates shall commence! Hopefully at least one a day (I think I am roughly managing that). I'd have two updates tonight but it's nearly 5am and I have to be up in a few hours. .

Also, head's up, next chapter begins the 'true' tcest portion of this story. Oh, I'm such a tease!


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Summary:

Splinter brings home the daughter of his old friend to help cope with her mother's death. As she befriends each of the Turtles, they deal with their own awakening feelings for her... and possibly each other.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Raphael moved his foot rhythmically, swinging himself gently in his hammock. He stared at the alarm clock below him.

5:58am.

In two minutes, the alarm he'd set last night would go off. Unfortunately, he hadn't needed it; he'd only caught a few snatches of sleep all night.

After debating with himself last night, he had decided to talk to Leonardo this morning. Don and Alex would be leaving for her 'stupid meeting', and although Mikey didn't drag his feet in the morning like him, he also liked to sleep until the last minute before practice. Leo was always up an hour earlier than practice started, and Raph figured it would be as good a time as any. He'd thought about waiting until next Wednesday, when he would be certain the others would sleep in, but he was too anxious to delay. He'd go crazy if he waited until next week.

Once he'd made up his mind, he found sleep nearly impossible. He had done a full round of exercises in the dojo. He had watched two movies. He had taken several of Mikey's comics to his room and read them through twice. He had taken a hot shower. He dozed a few times during the movies but that had been all his tortured mind allowed him.

The alarm blared, and he reached down to smack it angrily. He sat up and looked down at his feet, swinging a few inches above the concrete floor.

Raphael wondered not for the first time that morning if there was truth to Leo's statement yesterday. His brother had been relaxed at dinner, but when he'd gone to talk to him in the dojo that damnable Fearless Leader mask was firmly set on Leo's face. Perhaps he should lure Leo out of the dojo.

He rubbed his face tiredly. No, the dojo was as good a place as any for what he had planned.

His stomach knotted, and he put a hand on it unhappily. He had waited the entire night for this moment, and now that it was here, he couldn't even step out of his hammock. He chided himself, trying to work up enough anger to get himself moving, but instead sat there in silence, his mind a jumble of thoughts. His gaze finally moved to the clock again and was startled to see it was five after already.

That finally gave him the motivation to stand up. He had a limited window of time, and he shouldn't waste it. Shaking himself mentally, he padded out of his room and down the stairs. To his surprise, he found Don brewing coffee in the kitchen, and they traded astonished looks.

"Hey Raph, what drags you out of bed this early?" Donnie asked.

"I'm... I'm going to…" He trailed off, jerking a thumb toward the dojo.

"Ah. Coffee?"

"Please," Raphael pleaded. He accepted a mug from him and took a sip. "Oh, the good stuff again."

"Only the best for you," Donnie said warmly, sitting at the table and gesturing for Raph to do the same. Raphael glanced at the clock on the wall. Five or ten minutes with Don would probably settle his nerves.

"You always get it just right," Raphael said in approval, smiling over his steaming mug.

"Years of practice," Donnie smiled back. "Once you stopped grimacing when I made it, I figured it was how you liked it."

Raphael chuckled. "You seriously did that? You watched me?"

"Like a hawk." Donnie wrapped his hands around his mug, craving the warmth. "Did you get any sleep?"

"None to speak of," Raph said gloomily.

Donnie nodded. "Neither did I that first night. I hope you didn't drown yourself in 'what ifs'."

"I avoided 'em pretty well," Raph admitted. "But I just couldn't rest." His shoulders slumped. "I just don't know what to say."

"Don't overthink it," Donnie warned. "I did. That's why I never actually broached the subject. You're a brave, brave turtle."

Raphael snorted derisively.

"Well, I think you are," Donnie smiled, sipping more coffee.

"I'm not," Raph replied sharply. "I've been ignoring a problem, hoping it would just go away."

"And now you aren't," Donnie said gently, and Raph sighed in acknowledgement. "Don't give up, Raph. I wasn't going to."

Raphael frowned. "You said you did."

Donnie shifted in his chair, suddenly looking uneasy. "Well, true. I did… with Leo."

Raphael snorted again, this time in amusement. "Don't tell me you were gonna hit on Mikey; I can't take that much hilarity this early in the morning."

The genius grinned as he drained his mug, then said, "Egads, no. Mikey is a perpetual child. Although our baby brother has been growing up a lot lately." He chuckled softly. "I wouldn't presume to put any emotional strain on him right now. He has enough to worry about."

"Yeah, so I noticed." Raphael paused, his mug halfway to his mouth as the insinuation hit him. "Wait. Wait."

Donnie got up to refill his mug. "Hm?"

"Sit down," Raphael growled, and Donnie did so, giving him a questioning glance. "If- If not Mikey, then-,"

"Yes," Donnie interrupted.

"You were gonna… with me?"

"I was going to try, at least," Donnie replied, his voice low and steady.

Raphael slid his gaze to the floor, feeling heat rising on his face. "S- So I was your second choice, huh?"

"No."

"Wha?" Raphael snapped his eyes back to his brother's. "Willya make sense?"

Donnie shifted again in his chair, but gave him a fond smile. "I figured I'd get a more favourable response from Leo."

Raphael stared at him, prompting him silently to explain.

"And a less violent one," Donnie said in amusement. "I didn't want a _sai_ rammed down my throat." He boldly winked at Raphael. "Just something else."

Raphael covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking with uncontrollable laughter. "Fucking hell, Don, I've never seen this side of you."

Donnie put a hand on his shoulder, laughing with him. "To be honest, I haven't seen much of it myself yet."

Raphael wiped a tear from his eye through the last of his chuckles. "I swear, Don, yer amazing. You just get more wonderful every year."

"Yeah, yeah," Don said, returning to sipping his coffee. "You're just buttering me up so I'll help build your motorcycle."

Raph's eyes shone as he grinned. "You know I'd do just about anything for that." He glanced at the dojo, his momentary happiness fading. "I mean, I wouldn't do _that_-,"

"I get your drift," Donnie said wryly. "Besides… I'm considering asking Lexi out on a date."

Raphael clapped a hand on his shoulder, nearly upsetting his mug. "You should. Like, yesterday. She's nuts about you."

"I don't know," Donnie said nervously. "There's no doubt I'm physically attracted to her. But it's hard to separate that from other feelings. And all the book knowledge in the world isn't going to help me here."

"I've seen how she looks at you," Raph nodded.

"She's affectionate to us all," Donnie replied sullenly. "I don't know how she feels about me."

"Then take your own advice," Raphael smiled. "Ask her."

"I- I think it's too soon for that," Donnie said quickly.

Raphael shrugged. "Hey, you said you tend to overthink. Don't give yourself the chance. Ask her. Ask her today."

"M-maybe," Donnie stuttered.

Raphael put out his hand, giving his brother a serious stare. "I'm talkin' to Leo today. You talk to her. Shake on it."

"What? No."

"Do it, or I'll force rum down you Tuesday."

"I'd like to see you try!" Donnie frowned as he saw Raphael's eager grin and regretted his statement immediately. "Okay, fine. I'll talk to her after the meeting." He shook Raph's hand reluctantly.

"Good." Raphael looked up at the clock, then stood quickly. "Speaking of, I gotta go."

Donnie watched the fear cross his face, and he stood up next to him. Independently, they reached for each other, hugging tightly.

"Don't give up," Donnie whispered.

"Lexi better make you happy, or I'll kill her," Raph muttered back.

They gripped each other a few seconds longer, then stepped back. Silently they parted ways.

[Author's Note]

And now you know my favourite tcest pairing. ^_^ Although obviously RaphxDon is not going to happen in this story. Aren't they just adorable together, though? So supportive. :3

Short chapter… I'm breaking up this one and the next, as the next one will probably be longer than average. I know I personally like reading smaller chapters, so I figured this would be a good point in the middle of this morning's events.

emmaisemo: You are simply precious! I wish I could hug you through the internet! *hugs*


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains turtlecest.**

Chapter Twenty-Six

It mildly amused Raphael that his feet felt more and more like lead as he got closer to the dojo. His mind was willing; his body obviously wasn't. Steeling his nerves, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he opened the door.

Raphael almost felt sorry for Leo as he crossed the dojo. He looked so peaceful, sitting on the yoga mat in the lotus position. Well, that wasn't going to last long.

He sat in front of Leo, focusing on keeping his breathing slow. He knew how rude it was to interrupt meditation, having had his ass beat for disturbing Leo's concentration a few times over the years. He smiled, remembering how surprised he'd been when Leo had shoved him around so angrily that first time.

His smile quickly turned into a worried frown. He very well might have his ass handed to him on a platter again today.

Leo let himself drift out of his deep meditation, surprised that it was Raphael who had joined him. He had been expecting Donnie, who would sit with him sometimes when he'd been up all night working. He reached out with his senses, testing his brother. He was further astonished to find Raphael filled with dread along with his now normal anger. Concern flooded Leo immediately.

"What's wrong, Raph?" he finally said, his eyes still closed.

"I need to talk to ya."

Leo's face broke into an amused smile. "What's wrong with that?"

"You'll haveta decide that for yourself."

Leo felt his blood run cold. Was this it? Was Raphael going to explain why they'd grown apart? Was he going to tell him their bond was over?

He nodded once, not wanting to open his eyes now. His eyes might betray his worry.

Raphael took a deep breath, and Leo could almost smell the tension between them. "Okay. You gotta agree to somethin' first."

"Oh, no. I know how that usually ends."

"This ain't a joke, Leo," Raphael growled.

"Alright. What is it?"

Raphael shifted on the mat nervously. "I need ya to give me thirty seconds. Don't talk, don't laugh, and don't interrupt me. If you interrupt me, I doubt I'll ever get this said."

Leo frowned inwardly. Maybe this wasn't going to be what he thought.

"An'… An' I want you to know, after I say this, you got a choice. I'll stay and we can talk. Or I'll leave and we'll never speak of this again."

Against his better judgment, Leo's curiosity was peaked now. "I'd much rather sit and talk with you."

"Just agree," Raphael sighed.

"I agree." Leo smiled again. "Do I need to a stopwatch or something?"

"I ain't fuckin' around here, Leo," Raph growled.

Leonardo consciously arranged a neutral expression on his face. "Alright."

"Okay." Raphael felt his stomach flop over, and he grimaced. The silence stretched, then finally he muttered "Okay," again. He reached over and gripped Leo's face tightly, who to his credit still didn't open his eyes in surprise.

Finally able to give in to his passion, even if just for a moment, Raphael leaned forward and softly pressed his lips to Leo's.

Leonardo's eyes flew open as he tried to jerk backwards, but Raphael's deathgrip on his face kept him right where he wanted him. The kiss was gentle, though not chaste by any means. Leo's mouth had opened slightly in a gasp, and Raphael's tongue slid teasingly along his lower lip. His hands drew Leo closer to him, deepening the kiss. Raphael felt a frisson of pleasure down his spine when his tongue briefly slid across Leo's.

When he finally pulled back and let go of Leo's face, they were both breathing raggedly.

"Do I go, or stay?" Raphael asked, almost angrily. He watched a variety of emotion cross his brother's face, his mouth still slightly open as he drew in rapid irregular breaths.

Leonardo felt too stunned to reply.

A full agonizing minute passed, and Raphael's anger rose quickly. "Guess that's my answer, then," he scowled, getting to his feet and walking as swiftly as possible to the door without running.

"Raphael."

Raph winced at the ring of command in Leo's voice, pausing at the dojo door.

"I'm going to give you a choice, as well."

Raphael felt his heart sink. He'd heard Leo say that before; it was always followed by "Weapons, or no weapons." Not only did Leo not want to talk about the kiss, but here was the forthcoming ass beating he was worried about. Well, if his brother wanted to take out his anger on him, he was going to do it without weapons. Raphael wanted to use his bare fists to channel his embarrassment and rage.

"No weapons," Raphael growled, turning and dropping into a defensive stance.

Leonardo still sat on the mat. Raphael saw his hands were clenched around the edges of it. When Leo spoke, his voice was low and fervent.

"I want to give you the same choice you gave me. As I said before, I want you to sit and talk with me. However, if you feel you must leave, as agreed we will never speak of this."

Raphael blinked slowly at him, not daring to hope. Yet. He dropped his stance and walked back over, returning to his sitting position before him.

Leonardo breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't know what I would've done if you had left," he said frankly.

"Y- you want to talk?" Raphael stuttered, amazed.

"Why wouldn't I?" Leo replied softly. "Is this why you've been so distant?"

Raphael just nodded miserably, then gave a squeak of surprise when Leo reached forward to envelope him in a fierce hug.

"Goddamnit, Raph. Next time just talk to me. You nearly killed me with your strong silent act." He released Raph and sat back, venturing a small smile. "That's my job, after all."

"Why aren't you punching my face in?" Raph scowled.

"Because you don't hate me," Leo said quietly. "I've been so afraid. Forgive me if my relief outweighs my shock."

"I don't hate you," Raphael said quickly, his eyes widening. "I- I want you."

Leo's expression softened and Raph saw a mix of warring emotions cross it again. "Tell me why."

"I… I…" Raphael gestured helplessly. "I just _do._"

"So this is just sexual frustration?"

"No!"

"How do you know?"

Raphael frowned. He hadn't thought of what to say this far ahead, though over the last few months he had toyed with the idea that his attraction was purely physical.

"Raph," Leo said softly, recapturing his attention, "I cannot return your affection if I don't know if it's deeper than scratching an itch."

Raphael met Leo's eyes, feeling the familiar unspoken bond between them. Oh hell no. This wasn't just a fling.

"Because I would go without anything physical, as long as you w-wanted to be with me too." Shyly he placed a hand on Leo's face again, caressing it softly. "I'll do anything you want if you'll let me be with you."

Leo closed his eyes in pleasure at his touch. "Donnie tried to reach out to me, but he never talked to me. It made me think."

"You knew?" Raph said in surprise, his shyness momentarily forgotten. "He said you never picked up on any of it."

Leo smiled, realizing why the night out had been so important to them both. "I did. I was appalled at first, I admit. But the idea grew on me the more I thought about it, and the more Donnie explained in subtle hints." He opened his eyes halfway, giving Raphael a secretive smile. "Besides, who am I ever going to trust that explicitly with myself? Not anyone but Donnie, Mikey and you."

"But… But if you knew, why didn't you-," Raph started, but Leo shook his head. He placed a hand on Raph's face, matching his own.

"Because he wasn't you," Leo said simply.

Raphael felt his body shiver with happiness. It had happened. The anguish of not knowing was over, and it was better than he had ever hoped. His heart soared as Leo held his face as he had moments earlier and drew him in for another kiss.

It was much rougher, desperate than the first. Leonardo was less hesitant with his tongue, using it to snake past Raph's lips and explore his mouth eagerly. Raphael melted against his mouth, twining his tongue around Leo's. He gripped Leo's bandana ties, tugging on them in desire. When Leo finally broke the kiss, Raphael turned his face against his, leaving a trail of kisses down his cheek and throat.

"Raph," Leo grunted. "We still need to t- talk about something."

"Talk is cheap," Raphael muttered. He bent his head further and brushed his teeth against Leo's collarbone, nipping softly. He grinned when he heard Leo's breath hitch.

"Raphael," Leo said again, pushing lightly on his shoulders. "You have to stop. Just for a moment," he added hastily.

He glared at Leo but leaned back. "What?"

"You have to let me be the voice of reason," Leo said, a slight frown marring his face.

"About what?"

"About this. If there's going to be an 'us'." Leo's frown deepened. "We are a part of a larger unit. Our actions will affect our family."

Raphael waved a hand dismissively. "Donnie knows. Alex won't give a shit. Mikey… Well, as long as I'm not biting his head off he's not going to care. And Master Splinter can mind his own damn business."

"Raphael," Leo said sharply. "Don't make me repeat myself."

"Relax, Leo," Raph wheedled. "I mean, geez, I'm apparently the last person on this bandwagon anyway."

"If Master Splinter disapproves…" Leo's voice trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Sometimes you gotta draw a line," Raphael argued.

"I'm not doing anything at the expense of this family," Leo replied, and Raphael felt as if he'd been slapped.

"So that's it? If sensei balks, you're just giving up?" His anger flared. "Is your happiness not worth fighting for?"

Leo reached up to place his hand on Raph's face again, his eyes liquid with desire. "I didn't say that, Raphael. If sensei disapproves, I suppose we will just have to find a way to convince him. But that could take time, and you will have to be patient in the meantime."

Raphael nodded, grasping Leo's hand with his and leaning into it. "I meant what I said, Leo. I'll do whatever you want. But I _will_ fight for you."

Leo gave him a devious smile. "Then return to what you were doing before I interrupted you," he said slyly, tilting his head up to give Raph access to his neck. Delighted to comply, he gripped Leo's shoulders and pulled him closer, thrilled at the small gasp his touch elicited.

"So," Raph spoke between the kisses and bites he gave, "have I finally taken down the Fearless Leader for good?"

"Not yet," Leo replied. The lust in his voice made Raphael shiver again.

A floorboard creaked, and they froze, heads swiveling to the door simultaneously. A swish of movement confirmed someone had just been at the half open door. Panic set in, draining their desire, and they scrambled to their feet.

[Author's Note]

Awmigawd, who was that? 0_o

Whew, so happy to finally write this chapter. As it's a turning point in the story, I've had it written in my head for nearly three weeks now. Such a joy to finally have it down and able to share! :3


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Leonardo held Raphael back, peeking into the hallway. The lair was mostly dark, as it was still early morning, but the kitchen light was on. He saw movement by the fridge, and he sighed.

"C'mon," he said to Raph, his voice heavy.

"It- It's gonna be fine, whoever it is," Raphael shrugged, trying to keep his worry from showing.

"It's Alex," Leo groaned softly as they padded silently down the hall.

"She's not gonna care," Raphael repeated, convincing himself as much as Leo.

Alex pulled a coke out of the fridge and closed it as they approached, and she grinned at them in greeting. "Oh good, I was hoping I could say goodbye before we left!"

"Alex," Leo said firmly, "did you just come to the dojo?"

"Yep. Sorry about that, but you should keep the door closed." She popped the top off of her drink and sipped from it.

"Sorry?" Raphael frowned, wondering why she was apologizing to _them_.

"Alex, we can explain-," Leo began, but she cut him off, shaking her head. She put an arm around Raph's shoulders companionably and pointed at Leo with her drink.

"It's your business," she said, still smiling.

"But as you have become one of our close friends, I- we- are concerned-," Leo tried again, but she chuckled.

"What, you want my opinion?"

They both leaned closer to her, wearing identical worried frowns. She returned their stares with a serious expression.

"Well, if you must know…" She paused dramatically.

They held their breath.

She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I thought it was kinda _hot._"

Raphael burst into laughter, wrapping an arm around her waist to lean onto her for support. Leo's mouth opened but he couldn't form a sentence, blinking rapidly at her before finally smiling.

"Geez, relax," she said, still laughing. "What, did you think I was gonna disown you or something?"

"Or something," Leo said, still looking puzzled, but happy.

"Alex, yer the best," Raphael chuckled, hugging her tightly.

"So are you," she said, returning his embrace.

"Whoa, Raph laughing before 7am?" Mikey took the last three stair steps in a jump. "Am I still asleep?"

"Let's check," Raphael growled playfully, then barreled at Mikey and bowled him over. They skidded to the floor in a tangle of limbs, throwing half-hearted punches.

Alex turned her back to the pair, giving Leo a smile and putting her finger to her lips. He nodded at her gratefully. Her smile grew and she pulled him over in a hug.

"I am glad I got to see you before we left," she said, "because apparently we might be gone most of the day."

"Oh?" he asked.

She flushed slightly as she answered. "Donnie said we're going somewhere after the meeting. He won't say where."

"That will be a nice surprise after such a boring morning, hm?"

"Very!" She scooted closer to Leo as the scuffling brothers rolled past her. "Hey! Could you stop that for a moment so I can tell Mikey goodbye?"

Hearing this, Mikey gave a mighty shove, rolling Raphael off of him and ran to her, picking Alex up and twirling her in the air. She shrieked happily and clung to his arms. "Ahh, Mikey, put me down!"

He spun her a few more times, then put her gently on her feet. Dizzily she kept a hand on his shoulder as she swayed.

"Oof, glad I didn't eat breakfast yet," she laughed. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and he gave her a dopey grin.

"Be right back," Raph said, then ran up the stairs, leaving the others to say their goodbyes. He'd seen Donnie beckoning him from behind one of the brick pillars on the landing. Once he was out of sight of the others, he tackled Donnie in a hug.

"I assume this is good news," Donnie chuckled, patting his brother's shell fondly.

"Yes, yes, and more yes," Raphael sighed.

"I'm so happy for you," Donnie whispered back.

"Are you?" Raphael leaned back, locking their gazes. "I- I mean, I think I can truly be happy with him, but-,"

"No what ifs," Donnie said sternly, though he smiled. "It will sort itself out in the end."

"Don." Raphael's eyes were dark with emotion as he leveled a stare at him. "Tell me the truth. I haven't hurt you, have I?" Gently he placed a hand over Donnie's heart for emphasis.

Donnie reached up and placed his hand over Raph's. "No, you haven't, dear brother. I've found someone who makes the entire world make sense." He gave Raph a wry smile. "If Alex weren't here, my answer would've been different. But she…" He paused, trying to find the right words. "She's like the Sun, Raphael. She blinds me to anyone else."

"I know how you feel," Raph said quietly. "And I'm so thankful. If I thought I'd hurt you, even unintentionally, I don't think I could live with myself."

"You haven't," Donnie repeated, hugging him again. "I'm so glad you're back, Raph. We were so worried."

"Thank you for bringing me back." Raphael looked over his shoulder. "An' you better talk to her today. You shook on it."

"Yes, I will," Donnie sighed.

"Good. Now go have fun!"

"You too," Donnie said as they walked down the stairs together.

"Ready?" Alex asked as they joined the group.

Donnie pulled his hat low over his eyes. "Sure am."

"Your headache is better?" she asked anxiously.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I already told you it was. Now let's go." He glanced at Leo, who gave him a warm smile. "I'll train with you this afternoon, Leo."

Leonardo just nodded. "Okay you two, we're _all_ late for practice. Off you go." He herded them in the direction of the dojo.

"That's, like, a first for you huh?" Mikey teased.

"Probably," Raphael snorted, which earned him a smack on the head.

As they left the lair, Alex reached down and laced her fingers through Donnie's. She saw him relax visibly as they swung their hands together.

"I'm envious of you," she said softly.

"Why?" Donnie asked, startled.

She threw a look over her shoulder back toward the lair. "Your family. They're so wonderful."

He squeezed her hand. "Aren't they?"

"Yes. And so are you," she added, grasping his hand more tightly.

"Well, you're rapidly becoming a part of it," he said, glad that the dark of the sewers hid his blush.

"Sometimes I'm afraid I'll wake up and you won't want me around," she admitted quietly.

"That will never happen," Donnie said firmly.

"Promise?" The seriousness in her voice melted Donnie's heart.

"I promise." He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Lexi, I- I want to take you somewhere special today."

"So you said," she grinned.

"As a date," he added breathlessly.

Alex could swear her heart skipped a few beats. "A- a date?" she parroted, smiling shyly at him.

"Yes, a date as in, I like you a lot and want to know you better," Donnie replied quietly.

She put her arm around his shoulders, leaning her head against his as they walked. "I would love nothing better than a date with you." She eyed him deviously. "Maybe I should skip the meeting."

"No, no," he said hastily. "It's your treat for going." He winked at her.

She sighed back, eyes pleading. "But-,"

"No date if you skip the meeting."

"_Fine._" She crinkled her nose at him. "You fight unfair."

"Not from my standpoint," he chuckled. He felt the tightness around his heart fading. She'd said yes!

Now all he had to do was ask her how she felt about _him._ He was a bit miffed she hadn't volunteered that information… Then he wouldn't have to ask. He glanced at her surreptitiously and saw her fierce blush and bashful gaze in the dim lighting. She had the same silly grin on her face that Raphael had before they'd left.

He smiled to himself.

[Author's Note]

Naughty Alex! ;)

Couldn't resist more Raph x Don comforting. They're just so sweet together. Squee!

Want to see Alex and Donnie on their date? Visit my DeviantArt page, which is listed as my Homepage on my Profile. The sketch is named "Donnie and Alex" in my gallery (it's currently in the upper left hand corner, as it's the latest artwork I've submitted. If it's not there, just go to my gallery and look for it!)

And I apologize profusely if there's spelling /grammar errors in this chapter. I didn't have time to read over it twice to look for mistakes.

Ilovehugs94: Ohmygosh, what a compliment! *faints* X_x Thank you so, so much! Well, Mikey is a bit of a puzzle to me. I was actually thinking about this very question yesterday… and realized once this story wraps up, I'll probably write a shorter story with him and someone special. ^_^

Of the four, Mikey is actually my least favourite- and he's exhausting to write. So much energy! *huff puff* He would definitely deserve a happy ending too… But as of right now I honestly have no idea where I'd take this idea. Hopefully I'll be inspired once this story is done!

I've actually got a oneshot or short story sequel for this story to write already… So we'll see… Right now Mikey is just happy to have his family normal again. xD


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Donnie tapped his foot in time to the music blaring in his iPod as he read a newspaper. As he was the go-to guy for music, he had access to a wide and varied library on his computer. He had loaded one of Raphael's rock and grunge playlists, and was pleasantly surprised to find he liked most of it. Then again, he liked a bit of everything, from Leonardo's classical tastes to Michaelangelo's addiction to trendy pop music.

Idly he checked his watch. It was nearing noon, and he could just imagine Lexi's anger gauge was reaching ninety percent by now. He chuckled to himself, fingering the soft pretzel he'd bought for her. He had wrapped it in extra paper to keep it warm. It should tide her over until they decided where to eat.

He noted with some amusement that the newspaper had to stretch boring stories to fill the pages. As April had confirmed, the city had been relatively peaceful as of late. There were the obvious armed robberies and break-ins, but even that normal crime was down. It seemed the city's criminals had chosen a perfect time to take a vacation, as he and his brothers hadn't been patrolling in over a month.

Donatello frowned. He missed those nightly outings. Perhaps he should mention resuming them when he trained with Leo this afternoon. Although much tension had been solved over the last few days, they were still stir-crazy. And April could only take so many of their visits; they did tend to leave a mess behind when they brought dinner, as she had affectionately told them once.

His phone buzzed, and he flipped it open eagerly.

_OMFG im gonna kill these bastards. im starving. almost done! got good news!_

He laughed, pocketing the phone and returning to his newspaper. He finished the article he was reading before folding it up and returning it to the newsstand. He wandered down the sidewalk unhurriedly, enjoying the sounds of the city. Horns blared, people yelled and gestured, the cool wind blew leaves around his ankles. He had liked the semi-country setting Lexi's house was in, but nothing could compare to the city. He even liked the smell of the car exhaust and warm concrete.

His heart leapt as he turned a corner and spied Lexi. She was already running toward him, and he stumbled slightly as she tackled him in a hug.

"That was worse than the first one!" she groaned. "Although there weren't as many papers to sign."

"Did you know I was coming?" he asked, puzzled.

"Yeah." She stepped back, shrugging. "Sometimes I just… know things."

"How?"

She averted her gaze to the ground in embarrassment. "It's a gift. Trust me, it's not very useful."

"Psychic?" he asked in amazement.

"I guess so. Leo said that's what it was." She tugged on his arm urgently. "C'mon, I'm starving!"

He pulled the pretzel out of his pocket, presenting it with a flourish. "For you, my lady."

She squealed with delight and tore the wrappings off, taking a bite before she grinned at him. "Oh my, thank you, Donnie! I love pretzels!"

"Oh good," he said, relieved. "I figured it was plain enough, most everyone likes them."

"I _love_ them," she repeated. She wrapped her arm around his, tugging at him again. "But it won't last long. Let's find somewhere to eat! Where do you want to go?"

"I'm not sure." He laughed. "I guess I should've thought of that while I was waiting for you."

"Well, I chose last time. You choose this time."

He tilted his head, thinking. "Is there anything you're _not_ in the mood for?"

"No Chinese, I guess, since we had that last time. Although don't get me wrong," she added hastily, "I love Chinese!"

"From the way you emptied your plate and ate from mine, I'd say you did," he chuckled, poking her playfully. "Well, it's not very aesthetic, but there's a fantastic burger joint several blocks from here. It's small, but we could get it to go and I could take you on a picnic of sorts."

"Oh what a romantic idea," she said, squeezing his arm happily.

"I'm glad you think so," he replied shyly.

It took a while to get their food, but they weren't in a rush and didn't mind. Alex was surprised when Donnie flagged a cab down afterwards, explaining they'd need the transportation to get where they were going. He spent most of the car ride keeping her from snacking on their lunch. He found her pouting extremely hard to resist, though he did manage it.

Alex became very curious as they left the city limits, but Donnie refused to tell her anything. Another ten minutes and the cab pulled into a small train station.

"We're here," he announced, paying the cabbie before helping Alex out of the car.

"So what's here?" she asked eagerly.

"Well…" He paused, looking embarrassed. "I've always liked trains. I thought you might like to walk down the tracks."

She clapped her hands happily, grinning. "And we might get to see a train! I grew up close to train tracks; I used to go out and collect old rusty railroad ties." She laughed, and he joined in, though his was tinged with relief.

"You don't think it's silly?" he asked, his voice low.

"Of course not! But before we walk, I must eat!"

"But of course," he chuckled. "Thankfully it's a warmer day today." He closed his eyes, turning his face to the Sun as they walked toward the tracks.

"There's some rocks we could sit on," she said, pointing excitedly and pulling him forward. They were actually large slabs of broken concrete, which was perfect for what they needed.

They didn't talk much as they ate, enjoying the food immensely. Donnie snuck a few of his fries into Alex's carton; when she finally saw him, she laughed and tried to give a few back. He shook his head. Although Lexi was obviously relaxed and having fun, he was still nervous. And while his headache was better, it wasn't completely gone. His stomach didn't want much food. He explained the latter to her, and she just nodded.

When they were done, Donnie put their trash in one of their carryout bags and ran back to the train station to throw it away.

Alex stood as she watched him run to the garbage can. She'd had her head in the clouds since they'd left this morning, and her wandering attention had actually drawn out the meeting. All she could hear was Donnie telling her he liked her. _Her!_ Tom had had to repeat several questions, and the other men attending had gotten quite impatient.

She alternatively felt like her body was floating and so heavy she could barely move. A flush crept up her cheeks. She was quite sure he'd meant exactly what he'd said. She'd been so embarrassed this morning she couldn't find the courage to tell him how much she adored him.

Alex took a deep breath as he walked back to her. She had to tell him. She _wanted_ to tell him. Feeling herself blush again, she turned away and looked down the tracks, pretending to study them as her thoughts swirled.

"Shall we?" he asked, gently wrapping his hand around hers.

"Please," she replied eagerly. "Oh, I hope we get to see a train!"

"If we're here long enough, we should," he said as they climbed the shale covered slope.

"Then let's just stay until we see one!"

"Unless it starts getting cold, sure!"

She bent down, picking up a railroad tie. "I used to gather these as a child. My father let me put my collection in the garage." She chuckled. "I have no idea why I loved them so much."

He laughed with her. "You should've seen what Mikey would drag in from the sewers as a child. Everything from gum wrappers to broken CD's." He smiled as he remembered. "I used to build toys for us with whatever junk he found."

"How neat! I made obstacle courses with the ties for my toy horses." She stepped up onto the track railing, balancing herself as she walked.

Donnie stepped onto the other but didn't let go of her hand. Alex put her other hand out to help keep her balance, smiling at him. They walked down the tracks like that for some time, listening to the noise of the city behind them and the birds twittering in the trees.

Donnie stole a glance at her, warmed by the happiness on her face. It was one of those perfect moments in life that burns itself into memory. He'd already had so many of those with her in the last few weeks.

She squeezed his hand, slowing her steps. She pointed ahead with her free hand. "I think a train's coming!"

He let go, bending down to feel the railing beneath his feet. "You're right."

She mimicked him, squatting on the ground and gripping the railing with both hands. "Think it's ahead of us?"

"Not sure." He frowned, looking behind them. An electronic sign had a green light lit up. "Ah, yes it should be."

"I can't see it yet," she said, squinting.

"Probably hasn't come around the curve," he said, pointing.

She bent further and put her ear to the railing, grinning like a child. Donnie was struck by how much she looked like Mikey, and he chuckled.

"Oh, let's put a penny on the railing!" She pulled a coin from her pocket. "I love seeing them get smashed."

"Okay," he laughed. "Can you find it afterwards?"

"Usually." She placed it on the railing, and then looked up as the train began to pull into sight. Donnie held her arm gently and helped her down the slippery side, leading her to a boulder nearby.

"We're not close enough," she pouted as he sat.

"Sure we are. And I can't move this rock any closer," he laughed. Shyly he pulled her backwards to sit in his lap. He gasped softly as she settled into his arms and melted into his embrace, but thankfully she couldn't hear it over the rumble of the oncoming train. He leaned forward slightly since she couldn't see him and breathed in her hair's scent. Rosemary and mint again; it must be her shampoo, as he hadn't seen her use any perfume. It drove him _crazy_. He watched in fascination as the sunlight played on the soft waves in her hair, turning the medium brown into fiery red-gold highlights.

"Here it comes!" she said excitedly, her body tense. They waited impatiently as the train roared closer. As it finally pulled up to them, they both waved frantically. The engineer stuck a hand out the half-open window in acknowledgment.

"Look at all the graffiti," she said, pointing. "Wow, that one sucks."

"Those are good, though," he said, gesturing around her to the next car.

"Ooh, that one is carrying cars!"

"And farm equipment," he added eagerly. "Looks like tractors."

Several closed boxcars followed, and they had fun speculating on the contents, trying to outdo each other on outrageous ideas. Finally the last car passed them, and the rumbling faded in the distance.

Boldly Donnie wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest. She relaxed against him willingly.

"So what's this good news?" he asked, trying to distract himself.

"Oh! Tom said he can set up an estate sale next Tuesday. So I need to go see that apartment _soon._ The Realtor said I could see it anytime this weekend. It's apparently being repainted. If it works out, I'm going to get it! And I can call Tom and tell him to go ahead with the estate sale."

He squeezed her in a hug. "That's wonderful. You're certain you want to move?"

"Quite!" She tilted her head back briefly to grin at him. "And there's a sizeable art gallery not far from the apartment."

"Oh, are you going to display your art? You really should!"

She nestled her head on his shoulder. "You're so sweet. I want to, but I've never had the nerve to try."

He chuckled softly. "I've seen your art. It belongs in a gallery."

"I need to frame my paintings if I'm going to display them."

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "If you get the wood, I can cut and shape them any way you want. We can do it ourselves!"

"Really?" she asked happily. "That would be so fun."

"Yes, and we can even get Leo in on it. He's talented at sculpting and woodwork."

"He's a great artist," she said admiringly. "But very self-depreciating about it. He needs more confidence."

"Maybe you could convince him to display his art with yours," Donnie suggested enthusiastically. "I encourage him when I can. He _is_ very good."

"His brushwork is so delicate and expressive. I admit I'm jealous," she chuckled.

"As am I."

"But you're very creative in a different way," she said appreciatively. "I could never do what you do."

He held her closer, smiling. "Maybe. But you sure are a huge help in the lab."

"I'm glad," she murmured.

They sat quietly, enjoying the comfortable silence between them. Though Alex was loathe to break the quiet, she was working up the courage to speak. It was a beautiful moment, and she figured it would be as perfect a time as any to tell him.

"Donnie?" she asked softly.

"Hm?"

She paused, taking a quick breath before replying. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Donnie."

She felt his arms around her tense.

"I- I know you said you liked me, and frankly that's all I've been able to think about today," she added hastily. "You are so sweet, and kind, and thoughtful. And you're brilliant, and funny and-,"

"As you said before, flattery will get you everywhere," he whispered in her ear, interrupting her.

"It's not flattery if it's true," she whispered back.

He took a deep breath. "Lexi, before you want to continue down this road, I want you to understand something. My life is not a glamourous one. I am worried I couldn't give you what someone else could."

She snorted. "What do you mean?"

"I live in a sewer," he said dryly.

"I'm not asking to live with you," she replied teasingly.

He squeezed her in a hug. "I just want you to think ahead."

She cuddled her head against his neck. "Donnie, I _have_ thought about this. I was really worried at first. But then I realized if there's a problem, we'll work it out. Between the two of us, I don't think there's anything we can't overcome." She giggled. "You _do_ think ahead, don't you?"

"I can't help it," he said desperately. "I hope you don't think I'm trying to push you into anything, it's just…"

"I understand," she chuckled. "But isn't it counter-productive to try to scare me off?"

He scowled. "I just want you to know the full consequences before you commit any effort and time."

"Okay," she laughed again. "Anything else I should know?"

He fidgeted with a piece of her skirt. "Actually… Actually, yes, but perhaps I should save that for later."

"Nah, hit me with it."

"I- I'm not sure…" he stuttered.

"Oh c'mon, Donnie," she wheedled.

He sighed heavily. "Okay. Again, I'm not trying to force anything on you-,"

"Donnie," she growled. "Tell me."

He lowered his voice. "All of us are sterile."

"What?"

Heat crept up his cheeks. "I can't have children. I've, ah, checked. It's probably due to the radioactive quality of the mutagen."

She frowned. "What, you can't adopt?"

He blinked down at her, surprised. "Well, ah, not really, considering I'm not a registered legal citizen."

"No, but I am," she said slyly.

He buried his nose in her hair to hide his flushed face. "I- I hadn't thought of t- that," he stuttered.

"You are so adorable," she laughed. She shifted on his lap so that she was facing him, her legs straddling his. She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying his obvious blush. "I was adopted, you know. My father was actually my step-father. And _he_ was adopted as well."

"R- really?"

She nodded. "But I've never really wanted kids anyway."

He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Get this," she said, laughing, "when I was five, my mother asked me if I wanted a girl or boy. I gave her a serious look and replied, 'Kittens.'"

"Kittens?" he laughed.

"Yep! I just wanted pets," she giggled. "And I haven't changed my mind yet."

"Mikey's been wanting a cat," Donnie mused.

"Cats are great." She cleared her throat. "Anyway. Your tactic failed."

"Did it?" He reached up to touch her hair, playing with it gently.

"Completely." She gave him a mock frown. "Instead of scaring me away, I'm just more interested."

"Why?" he asked, puzzled.

She leaned forward to whisper lasciviously in his ear. "Just think. No condoms."

He gasped, then laughed nervously. He put his hands on her back and crushed her to him. "I don't want to think about that… yet."

"Fine by me," she smiled, hugging him back.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "You sure?"

"Quite sure." She pulled back so she could look at him. "I'm not going to pressure you either."

"I've never- I've never-," he couldn't finish the sentence, gesturing helplessly.

"I don't care about that either," she said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. "I don't have a lot of experience myself."

He gave her a grateful smile. "I don't just like you, Lexi. I'm falling in love with you, too." Hesitantly he placed a hand on her face, drawing her closer, and she did the same. He saw her eyes close just before their lips met, and he was unprepared for the shock of pleasure that ran through him at the contact. She pressed her lips harder to his, letting go of his face to wrap both arms around his neck. His fingers dug into her shoulderblades as he deepened the kiss, his breath hitching as his tongue slid across her lips. She opened them willingly, and they both moaned softly as their tongues touched. She straightened her back, pressing her chest to his, wanting to be as close to him as possible. He gasped slightly against her mouth as her tongue pushed past his, and he did the same, exploring her mouth.

They panted when they finally broke the kiss. Alex put her cheek next to his, leaning her head against him.

"Wow," she breathed softly.

He nodded slightly. "Likewise." Feeling bold, he turned his head and nibbled on her earlobe, breathing gently into her ear.

"Donnie," she moaned breathlessly, her fingers tangling in his bandana ties as she urgently pulled him closer. When he stopped his attentions momentarily, she tilted her head forward, kissing his neck tenderly as she massaged the back of his head.

A deep rumbling sounded from his chest, and he pushed her back reluctantly.

"Fuck," he muttered softly, and she frowned at him in question, then smiled when she heard his churring.

"Are you happy, Donnie?" she asked seductively, running her fingers down his chest.

"Lexi, stop," he said, shivering at her touch. "I- I kind of lied to you about that…"

She frowned at him again. "What?"

"W- We all make that sound when we're, ah, sexually aroused," he explained, blushing furiously. "I didn't want to tell you."

She stared at him for a few seconds, then a slow smile spread across her face. "That is dead sexy."

He chuckled. "I'm glad you think so. I can't control it."

She put both her hands on his chest. "I _really _like it."

"Lexi, this isn't too… too weird, is it?" He touched her face, looking worried.

"Weird?" She blinked at him. "Why would it be weird?"

"I'm not human," he said simply.

"You're human enough," she said, winking at him. "Besides…" She trailed her hands down his chest again adoringly. "I want to spend a lifetime discovering every little thing about you that is different." She looked up at him, raising a brow. "Is it weird for you?"

"No," he admitted.

"Donnie, don't worry," she whispered, kissing his forehead again. "If I am uncomfortable, I promise I will tell you."

"Okay," he said, smiling back at her.

"So, um…" Her voice trailed off, and he watched a lovely blush cross her cheeks again. "I'd still like you to sleep in my bed at night. But I understand if you don't want to now."

He leaned forward to kiss her neck softly before replying. "I still want to hold you every night." He felt her shiver at his response, and he added, "I won't take advantage of you. But if we could do this before we go to sleep every night… I wouldn't complain."

"I don't think I could resist," she said huskily.

"Oh good," he said, leaning back to look at her. "I know _I_ couldn't anymore." He looked up at the Sun, noting it hanging low in the sky. "Let's head home."

She sighed dejectedly. "Already?"

"I figured you'd want to reach the city before night falls. We've got a bit of a walk ahead of us."

"True." She looked to the sky as well, then turned back. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and kissed him fervently. He returned it eagerly, already thinking her lips were addicting. He was churring happily again when she finally ended the kiss.

"I guess we should go," she said, pouting.

He just nodded.

She stood up, patting down her expansive skirt. "Wow, I'm stiff."

Deviously he shot her a glance. "So am I."

She dissolved into giggles as he got up. He grabbed her arm and pulled her next to him so she wouldn't see the obvious evidence of their kissing.

"You okay?" she asked, amused as she watched him walk a few awkward steps.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "I'll be better in a few minutes. Let's go."

They stole several more kisses on the half-hour walk back to the city limits.

[Author's Note]

They forgot the penny! I wonder why... ;)

Saya the Ninja Cat: Wow, what a high compliment! O_o I'm floored! Thank you for such sweet, kind words! I have read my fair share of TMNT fanfiction, but none had *everything* I wanted to see in one... So I began to construct one of my own. I am so pleased and _flattered_ you think mine is so wonderful! Once this one is done, and it's sequel written (the sequel will be much shorter), I'm just going to _have_ to write a Raph x Don fanfic. They are the _cutest_ pair together! :3 I hope you'll end up reading that one as well, and enjoying it!  
I agree about Mikey. I just can't see him with anyone yet. I may end up writing a sequel to this one dealing with him finding someone, but I really think he is going to be happy just having his family whole and happy. He gets plenty of love and affection from them, and I simply see him as still too immature to want a serious relationship. As my story is dealing with potential long-term relationships, I just can't see Mikey pairing with anyone.

Ninjalover13: Don't die! Ack! (Being insane is fine though. xD ) Several people have expressed worry about me continuing the story. Trust me; the only way updates would not come is if my laptop literally broke and I couldn't find a public computer. *knocks on wood three times* I've had enough people ask for updates for me to wonder, do people leave their stories unfinished? That's pretty cruel. :/ I promise that's not happening here. The entire story is in my head, I just have to write it down!

emmaisemo: Yay! More dating and lots more fluff in this chapter! :D And more is coming. I hope it's not too much fluffiness. xD


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains turtlecest.**

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Although she'd had a wonderful afternoon with all four brothers, Alex had to admit she was most relaxed now, late at night. Mikey had finally gone off to bed after several hours of rousing Halo matches with Raphael. Donnie was sitting by the couch with his laptop, and she was watching as he worked. She was happy to see Leonardo was going to stay up with them for once. He and Raphael were arguing playfully over what movie to put on.

"I'm not watching anything that's labeled _drama_," Raphael sniffed disdainfully.

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't hurt you to watch something more intellectual than SNL sometimes."

"Oh but I do," Raph replied, grinning foolishly. "Just last night I watched _Return of the Attack of the Hundred Tentacled Loch Ness Monster II!_"

Leo burst into laughter, unable to keep a straight face any longer. "Geez, what is with you and Mikey watching that crap?" he teased.

"Crap?" Raphael held up a DVD. "I am not watching _The Singing Detective_ with you."

"It's not as stupid as it sounds," Leo frowned. "Honest."

Raphael snorted. "I don't care if it's got Downey in it. It looks retarded."

"How is that more retarded than that cheap monster movie?"

"Just put it on," Donnie said in exasperation, not looking over. "You know you're just gonna make out while it's on anyway."

Alex giggled into her hand.

"And the sooner you put it in, the sooner we can get to that," Leo added, his eyes twinkling.

"Well, why didn't ya say so?" Raph got up and hastily opened the case, feeding it into the PS3. He returned to the couch, curling up against Leo, who put an arm around him affectionately.

"It _is_ a good movie, actually," Alex said, turning toward the TV and leaning against Leo's other side. "C'mon, Donnie, watch it with us."

"I don't think they're going to do much watching," he replied dryly.

She shared a knowing look with Raph. "_Exactly_."

"Oh." He grinned sheepishly. "Five minutes?"

"If you must," she sighed, though she smiled back at him.

"Sorry," he muttered, his hands flying over the keyboard. "I'm almost done."

"I was just teasing," she chuckled.

Raph was studying the back of the DVD. "Sure has a lot of big names in it."

"I'll warn you," Alex said, "the song _'How Much Is That Doggie In the Window'_ will be ruined for you forever. _Ruined._ Even if you don't watch much of it." She shivered for emphasis. "Very creepy."

"Creepy? Okay, that sounds more like it," Raph nodded approvingly.

"Well, if you want to actually watch it…" Leo said, gesturing at the opening credits.

Raphael reached around his waist, cuddling closer. "Maybe next time."

"Okay, scoot," Donnie said, snapping his laptop shut and motioning at his brothers. Raphael gave Leo a devious grin as the eldest had to push Raph down to the end of the couch, which resulted in him sitting almost completely in Leo's lap. Alex pressed herself against Leo's side once more, giving Donnie just enough room to sit down beside her. He sighed happily as she leaned against his chest, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"For once, I'm glad this couch is only a three seater," Donnie said slyly, hugging Alex to him. The others laughed.

The couples spent the next hour paying only half attention to the movie. Donnie had turned the main lights off after Mikey had gone to bed, and the only illumination was from the TV. Whispers and chuckles floated in the darkened room as they caressed their partners and stole kisses. Alex and Donnie made a bet on who would fall asleep first, and Donnie won.

"Hey, look," Leo murmured, pointing at Raph. Raphael's head was plastered to Leo's chest as he snored softly.

"He's been pretty stressed lately," Donnie whispered back.

"I know," Leo replied, his voice tinged with sadness. "He's so goddamn stubborn."

"We all are," Donnie chuckled. "Don't you pull out the high and mighty act now!"

"I wasn't trying to," Leo smiled. He stroked Raph's head gently, causing him to stir slightly in his sleep. "I'm pretty tired myself. I should get him to bed. Goodnight, you two."

"G'night," they chorused.

Leo gathered Raph up in his arms, standing up and carrying him toward the stairs. Raph moaned softly, then snorted as he woke up. He pushed on Leo's arms roughly.

"I can walk," he mumbled.

"Okay, once we're up the stairs," Leo replied. "You look exhausted."

"I'm wide awake now," Raph whispered back. He cradled his head against Leo's neck, kissing him softly. Leo paused on a step, giving him a wry grin.

"I can't concentrate if you're doing that."

"That's the fun," Raph teased, but pulled his head back momentarily. When they reached the top, Raph wriggled out of his arms. He stopped Leo as they passed one of the brick pillars, grabbing his wrist and pinning it to the wall.

Leonardo opened his mouth to question, but was answered when Raph captured his mouth with his own, pressing his back into the pillar forcefully. He held Leo there for a moment, reveling in the now familiar thrill running through him as their tongues danced against each other. He finally broke the kiss and lowered his head, biting at Leo's collarbone again. Leo moaned and moved suggestively against him. Damn, he _really_ liked that spot!

"Impatient, aren't you?" Leo whispered huskily. "Can't we at least get to my room first?"

"_Your_ room?" Raph scoffed, digging his nails into Leo's wrists.

"I really don't think we'd both fit in your hammock," Leo said dryly.

"And you really think you're going to get much sleep tonight?" Raphael winked at him.

Leo chuckled softly. "Yes, I'll need _some_. I am not a night person like you."

"Oh _fine_. But there's nothing wrong with my hammock." He grinned as he let go. "It sure would be fun to use sometime, though."

Leo's eyes narrowed lustfully, and Raphael shivered in delight. "Good idea. But not for tonight."

"Fine," Raphael repeated, shrugging. "Lead on… for now."

They traded lustful glances as they tiptoed down the hallway, disappearing into Leo's room.

Mikey gently, quietly closed his door, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. Had he _really_ seen that? Had Leo and Raph been _kissing?_

He pinched himself hard, biting back a yelp. Yep, he was awake.

What the _hell?_

He stood frozen for several moments in his room. His face reddened more and more as his mind replayed what he'd just seen.

He heard Alex's door open and close. Great! He could go talk to Donnie! He would know what was going on. Or at least could make sense of it.

Silently he slipped out of his room and down the stairs, still trying to shake the mental images from his head. He quietly opened the lab door.

"_Donnie,_" he hissed, groping his way to the light switch. "Psst, hey Donnie!"

No answer.

He flipped the light on, and then gasped as he saw the empty cot. Where was his brother when he needed him? He frowned in annoyance.

He checked the library, the dojo, and even the garage. Donnie was nowhere to be found, and Mikey was beginning to get really upset. His brothers had plunged off the deep end of the insanity pool and Donnie was missing. Perfect.

He snapped his fingers as an idea came to him. Maybe Alex would know! He crept swiftly up the stairs to her room. Not wanting to alert his presence to anyone else, he didn't knock on her door; he opened it and peeked in. He was about to call her name when he froze again.

Someone in the room was making The Sound. He shook his head violently. What the _hell?_ he thought again.

He opened the door further, letting more light fall on the bed. The bottom dropped out of his stomach when he saw Donnie and Alex curled around each other under the blanket.

Michaelangelo wasn't one to give in to his anger; but after being so upset, and now seeing his beloved Alex in his brother's arms, he began to shake with rage. It took all his willpower to not stomp over and rip Donnie out of the bed and beat him to a bloody pulp. He was wrestling with what to do next when Donnie rolled his head toward the door, blinking at the light in confusion.

Mikey snarled hatefully at him, withdrawing his head and slamming the door shut. Alex gasped and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Wha- what…?" she asked in confusion.

Donnie sat up beside her. "Mikey's about to get on the bandwagon," he sighed. "And he doesn't look happy about it."

"That was _Mikey?_"

"Yeah." He shivered as he got out of bed and pulled on her faded bathrobe to ward off the chilly air. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Okay," she said unhappily. "Do you want me to come?"

"No." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Lay back and rest. I'll be back soon."

"Okay," she said again, mimicking his earlier sigh.

At a quick glance, Donnie didn't see Mikey downstairs and figured he'd probably retreated to his own room. He walked past Raph's bedroom and knocked on the next door. "Mike? We need to talk."

"Like hell we do," he heard Mikey growl. "Leave me the fuck alone."

"Hey," Donnie said, frowning. He pushed the door with his foot, relieved to find it unlocked. He poked his head in. Mikey was sitting on his bed, his back to the door.

"I said leave me _alone!_" his younger brother shrieked, turning to glare at him.

"Michaelangelo, calm down," Donnie said sternly, walking inside. He ducked as Mikey threw an empty soda can at him.

"Calm down?" Mikey turned fully, his face contorted with anger and fear. "Calm down? That's rich, coming from you! First Leo and Raph are playing _tonsil hockey_ outside my _own damn door_, then you're _sleeping_ with Alex behind everyone's back! What the _fuck_ is wrong with my family?"

Donnie cringed, then dodged as another soda can came flying. "Mikey, please. Everything can be explained-,"

"Oh really?" The animosity shining in Mikey's blue eyes startled Donnie. "Well when were you going decide I _deserved_ an explanation? Why do I _always_ have to be the last to know? I'm not _stupid,_ Don! _I'm not a child anymore!_"

"I know that, Mikey," Donnie sighed.

"Sure you do!" Michaelangelo roared angrily. "That's why no one ever tells me anything! You don't trust me!" His eyes narrowed furiously. "I hate you."

"_Mikey!_" Donnie admonished, further startled at his brother's vehemence.

"Get out!" Mikey screamed, pointing a finger at him. "_Get out get out get out!_"

Knowing full well from childhood that Mikey's temper would continue to flare until he was left alone, Donnie quietly withdrew and closed the door behind him. He turned to see Leo and Raph on the landing, wearing identical confused expressions.

"What the hell?" Leo muttered.

Donnie sighed heavily. "Okay. Long story short, the night Raph and I got drunk I passed out in my own bed by accident. With Lexi."

Their eyes widened.

"Nothing happened," he added hastily. "But she has night terrors, and she said me being there when she woke up really helped her. She asked me to stay with her at night, and I've been sleeping with her since." He jerked his head toward the door behind him. "And Mikey just found us."

"Oh geez," Raph mumbled. "And he flew into a tantrum, didn't he?"

"Yeah." Donnie rubbed his neck tiredly. "Can't say that I blame him." He eyed his brothers more closely. "And _you_ two should be more careful. He saw you both snogging as well."

Leo covered his face with a hand.

"He's pretty angry we haven't told him anything, with good reason," Donnie added.

"Yeah," Raphael sighed.

Alex walked up to them, putting a hand on Leo's shoulder. "Is he okay?" she asked worriedly.

"He will be. Later," Raphael frowned.

"I want to talk to him," she said, but the three brothers instantly protested.

"He just needs some time," Donnie said hastily.

She shook her head. "I won't stay long, I just want to talk to him," she reiterated. Before they could stop her, she opened Mikey's door and slipped inside.

"Mikey?"

"Oh, what do _you_ want?" he snarled.

She grimaced, sitting on the bed next to him. "Talk to me," she said simply.

"There's nothing to say," he snapped. "I'm left out of the loop, as usual. _And_ I lost."

"Lost?" Her brow furrowed. "Lost what?"

"Lost you," he growled. "And no one had the decency to tell me."

"You haven't lost me," she said, puzzled.

"It was Raph's idea," Mikey said hotly. "Before you got here. He knew there'd be competition over the visitor. And Donnie apparently won." He glared at her.

"Competition?" She shook her head. "Mikey, I have no idea what you're talking about."

He sighed angrily. "We were fighting to win you over. That's why we did all the stuff we did. Apparently you think the stupid contraptions Donnie builds with _trash_ is more interesting that gaming and cooking." He gave her a contemptuous look. "And you didn't even tell me. I've been _busting my ass_ to get you to like me."

Alex breathed through her mouth, her anger skyrocketing. When she spoke, her voice was dangerously low. "So… All this was a _lie?_"

He just snorted derisively.

She stood slowly, shakily. "I see." She turned her full gaze on him, and instinctively he recoiled from the livid fire blazing in her emerald eyes. "You are pathetic. I'm _not_ some prize to be won. You're just like every other asshole out there that chased me for my money. _You sicken me!_"

"Yeah? Well you sicken me!" he yelled back in her face. "How dare you lead me on, you_ skank!_"

"_Michaelangelo!_" Donnie roared, bursting into the room. "Don't you fucking _dare_ talk to Lexi like that."

"Oh yeah?" Mikey growled. "Whaddya gonna do about it?"

Donnie was about to retort when Alex pushed past him and ran out of the room.

"I swear to any gods listening, you'll pay for what you said," Donnie hissed angrily. He turned to go after Alex, and Mikey put a hand on his shoulder.

"If you want to finish this, do it," Mikey growled, but Donnie shook his grip loose.

"You aren't worth my time right now," Donnie snapped. He stepped out of the room and Leo pointed to her bedroom silently. He and Raph parted to let Donnie by, then stood together as Mikey tried to follow him.

"Let me past," Mikey growled, but they shook their heads.

"Get out of my way, you freaks!" he said louder, and Raphael's hands shot out, gripping his throat.

"Not another word," Raph said in a soft voice. "You need to calm the fuck down." He pushed his brother into his room, and Leo closed it, holding the doorknob.

"Nice, gonna lock me in here?" Mikey taunted. "Cowards!"

Leo just shook his head again, his sad eyes meeting Raphael's. "This is bad," he muttered, and Raph nodded solemnly.

"Damn, I thought maybe last year we'd seen the last of these rages," Raph sighed.

"Lexi?" Donnie asked, seeing her emerge from the room before he reached it. She had normal clothes on and was shrugging into her yellow coat.

"Don't," she said, slipping past him and running down the stairs. Donnie ran after her, touching her gently on the shoulder.

"Lexi, where are you going?" he asked, his voice filled with anguish.

"I- I need to leave," she said hesitantly.

"Can I go with you?"

"No."

"Lexi, please," he begged, his heart breaking when he saw her pick up her house keys. "Let me go with you."

"No." She looked at him as she opened the lair's door. Her face was wet with tears. "I need some personal space, Donnie. I'm sorry."

"Then text me later. Please. I'll be worried."

She nodded back. He reached up, brushing her tears away with his thumb and kissed her forehead. "Be safe."

She nodded again, then stepped out into the darkness, fading from sight quickly.

Donnie balled his hands into fists, storming back into the lair. He thought about going upstairs to finish what Michaelangelo had started, but frowned as he decided against it. He didn't like to do anything when he was this angry; inevitably he would do or say things he regretted later. Turning away from the stairs, he stomped toward his lab.

Leonardo and Raphael ran down the stairs after him.

"Can we stay with you?" Raph asked, pointing at the lab.

"Would be nice," Donnie admitted. "Otherwise I'll talk myself into killing him."

Leo put an arm around both his brothers, leading them into the lab and locking the door.

[Author's Note]

Yeow. I _told_ you an angry Mikey would be a force to be reckoned with. Again, I see Mikey as the most emotionally immature of the group, and I could easily see him reacting so harshly to not one, but two startling revelations in one night.

I hope Donnie doesn't kill him. D:

Oh, and _The Singing Detective_ IS a great movie, but please be warned: it's dark, creepy, and full of angst and hate. I would suggest to my readers that they be at least in their late teens to view it; or else very, very mature for their age if younger.

Saya the Ninja Cat: Churring is _hawt_. ;) I had read a few stories where the authors mentioned it, but never with a sexual connotation. I really liked the idea so I just had to include it. xD And well now, I guess I'll just have to get started thinking of a Raph x Don story… Hmm…

ninjalover13: Chapter 28 was one of the most fun to write so far! I admit I was laughing my fangirl squeals while I was writing it. :3 I'll update as often as I can! I love sharing with everyone!


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Thirty

Lexi stared at her phone, swaying with the motion of the subway car. She could barely see it for the tears in her eyes. Sniffling, she dragged her sleeve across her face, then began typing.

_im on the subway. im sorry i had to leave. i love you my sweet donnie._

Her finger paused over the Send button, then pressed it. She clutched her phone to her chest, bowing her head to let her hair hide her face.

A moment later her phone vibrated twice.

_Please don't apologize my dear. None of this was your fault. Text me when you get home safe. I love you devotedly._

A fresh wave of tears washed down her cheeks. Her phone buzzed again.

_Leo & Raph say hello and they're going to kill Mike. I won't let them but we can dream, right?_

She laughed, wiping her eyes again as she tucked her phone in her coat pocket. Maybe she should've let Donnie come with her.

She shook her head. No, now was as good a time as any to spend that night at her house alone. And Donnie seemed to understand her need for space.

Sighing, she buried her face in her hands. So many ugly memories had been stirred up tonight. So many times when she'd been used and pushed around- and she had taken it, because she believed herself worthy of such abuse.

She straightened her back, frowning in determination. She had Donnie now. Someone brilliantly wonderful who wanted _her._ She didn't have to take shit from anybody anymore.

Her momentary resolve wavered. _Why_ had Mikey said such hurtful things? Did he really feel like that? She had been so happy to finally find a guy who felt like her brother. She'd always wanted a brother. She'd _told_ him that, many times.

The same questions flew back and forth in her mind the entire trip home, tormenting her endlessly. Even so, she did a pretty good job of keeping herself stable until she was walking up the grand front porch of her house. She saw herself walking in, leading the three brothers inside on their first visit. They'd been so considerate when she'd broken down about her mother.

She slammed the front door behind her angrily. Had Mikey lied then, too?

Taking a deep breath, she pulled her phone out.

_im home and cold. im gonna get stuff done this weekend on my own. ill stay in touch- you too ok? try to sleep for me. gnite honey._

She put her coat away and went upstairs. Flipping on her bedroom light, she looked around at the crowded room. This had been her haven for many years, but tonight it just seemed uninviting. She changed into her favourite set of violet pajamas and laid down. Her phone finally buzzed after a few moments.

_I will text you too much! Be safe this weekend. I'm here for you. Not sure I can sleep w/o you in my arms. Goodnight precious._

She clutched a stuffed dinosaur to her chest, wishing it was Donnie. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she finally fell asleep.

Although she didn't get much rest, Alex felt better when she awoke early the next morning. Eager to keep her mind occupied, she arranged a meeting with the Realtor for that afternoon. Until then, she set about diligently packing everything from her bedroom, as she knew she'd want to move all her own stuff.

She met the lady Realtor after lunch, and to her delight the apartment was the perfect size for what she wanted. The kitchen and living room was one large space, and she knew she'd easily be able to convert it to a comfortable studio. The combo shower/bathtub was a bit smaller than she'd hoped, but the bedroom more than made up for it. It took up a good fourth of the entire apartment and had a stunningly beautiful view of the city with twin windows that reached from floor to ceiling. She even met two of her neighbors on her floor, an elderly couple who rented across from her. They were delighted she was moving in and offered her fresh baked goodies anytime she felt like stopping by. Alex was so excited she went back to the Realty office and signed off for the apartment right then.

She spent the rest of the day going through her house, top to bottom, setting aside a red armchair and a white wing-backed couch for her new residence.

As promised, Donnie sent her short texts throughout the day; sweet little messages letting her know he was thinking of her, or an awful pun Raph had just told him. Leo even sent her saying he missed their meditation sessions. She assured him she would return and practice with him soon.

Over the next few days, she cleaned the house one last time after packing everything she wanted to keep. She cried several times as she went through her mother's belongings, finally admitting how much she did miss her. She found a box of pictures of her father and carefully repacked them, setting them with her pile of belongings.

It saddened her Donnie wasn't there to help keep a proper inventory for the relics her mother had collected from her early travelling years, but Alex decided they could make one as they unpacked.

Tired but pleased with her work, she called Donnie Monday afternoon. He sounded breathless as he answered, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Hey honey. You okay?" she asked.

"Yes," he laughed. "I was trying to get the remote from Leo, but I failed miserably."

She laughed with him. "So, I have a favour to ask."

"Anything!"

"How would you guys like to help me move tomorrow? I've got everything boxed and ready to go."

"Hmm, let me check the books." He paused, and she could hear the grin in his voice. "We can _juuust_ squeeze you in tomorrow between counting the bricks on the wall and rearranging our sock drawers."

"Oh, well if you're busy…" she teased.

He chuckled. "We would be overjoyed to help you move."

She heard Raph and Leo shouting their approval in the background, and she smiled. "Okay, I'll get a rental truck reserved for tomorrow. Get here anytime in the morning. Lunch will be my treat." She bit her lip, hesitating before she said, "I'm not extending this invitation to Mike."

"He's not here to receive it anyway," Donnie said quietly. "He's been at Casey's all weekend."

"Good," she said vehemently.

"Lexi?"

"Yes?"

He lowered his voice further. "I miss you, precious."

"I do too," she said, frowning. "I think my friend was right, though. It's been good for me to be here, alone."

"Wonderful," he said happily. "I don't mean to make you feel guilty. I've just missed you horribly."

"You're not," she replied, smiling. "I can't _wait_ to see you. Maybe you guys can get here extra early?"

"As early as Leo will let us finish practice," he promised. "Master Splinter left on a nature retreat, so Leo's in charge. Maybe we can convince him."

"Just let me know, and I'll be up and ready!"

"I will. Goodbye for now, precious."

"Bye honey."

Donatello snapped the phone shut, a silly grin on his face as he rejoined his brothers.

"So how is she?" Raph asked as Donnie flopped beside him.

"This weekend has been good for her," he said, smiling. "I'm happy for her. And even happier to see her tomorrow."

"Great," Leo said, reaching around Raphael to pat Donnie on the shoulder. He took a deep breath. "I've been thinking-,"

"So that's what that noise is," Raph sniggered, and Leo smacked him on the head.

"I think," he continued, "this is a good time to resume our nightly patrols."

Both Raph and Donnie whooped, high-fiving each other.

"And we should collect Mikey before we start tonight," Leo added, and Raph groaned.

"Great. You had to ruin it," Raph muttered.

"Relax. It's time for him to come home and face what he's done. Besides, you and Donnie will pair off tonight."

Raphael leaned on him, giving Leo a grateful smile. "Thanks, Leo."

Leo kissed the top of his head. "I've much to say to him. I just hope he listens."

"If he has any shred of sense left in him, he will," Donnie said angrily. "You never give bad advice."

"Neither do you," Raph said, poking his shoulder and smiling. Donnie flushed slightly, shrugging in embarrassment.

Leo glanced at the clock. "Night will fall soon. Why don't we head out?" He chuckled softly as both Raph and Donnie shot off the couch, racing to get their coats. Though he tried to keep a sense of decorum, by the time they were ready to leave even Leo's eyes shone with excitement.

[Author's Note]

Short chapter.. I just couldn't leave it hanging from Chap 29. ^_^ So I stayed up to write this! Next chapter should be up tomorrow, and will be longer. Promise.

Fun fact: I listened to "_Put Your Lights On_" [Santana; featuring Everlast] on repeat while writing this. I'd forgotten how comforting that song is. Just seemed to really fit the mood here.

And as I can't resist, more Raph x Don comfort incoming. I just can't resist. Gawd they're so cute together. :3

Sorry for the sudden dark turn… It will be alright soon. ^^

And… I think the story is going to come to a satisfactory end soon'ish. But no worries, the short sequel is planned in my head already. It's actually hard to resist writing it yet, but I _really _should wait until I finish this one! xD


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Thirty-One

"So…" Raph drawled as he and Donnie watched Leo turn the corner, "we're gonna follow and listen, right?"

Donnie crossed his arms, trying to appear disapproving but failing. "Raph, we shouldn't eavesdrop."

"I want to hear that little bastard get what he deserves," Raphael muttered. "Cause you know damn well Leo won't let me tear him a new one." He tugged on Donnie's arm urgently. "C'mon."

"I…" his voice trailed off, his resolve quickly slipping. "Okay."

As one, they sprinted after Leo, scrambling up a nearby ladder and taking to the rooftops. They knew he was going to Casey's, so they snuck up on the building from behind, keeping track of Leo's movements so he wouldn't find them. They stayed in the shadow of the wall, watching him as he climbed in Casey's window. Mikey was slumped in a chair, barely visible, watching TV.

They watched Leo walk over to Mikey, who jumped slightly. Apparently words were exchanged, then Leo reached over and turned the TV off angrily.

"Hell, we can't hear anything from here," Raphael whined.

"Wait," Donnie whispered, putting a hand over his brother's mouth.

Sure enough, Leo reached down and dragged Mikey out of the chair, pushing him across the room and out the window. The wind finally carried their voices to the two spying brothers.

"How could you say such a thing?" Leo admonished, still gripping Mikey's arm harshly. "How could you even consider leaving?"

Raphael and Donnie gasped in unison, then crouched against the wall, giving each other a warning glare.

"B- Because I…" Mikey's voice trailed off, gesturing helplessly.

"Michaelangelo," Leo said sternly, and Raphael instinctively flinched at his tone. "Whether you like it or not, you are a part of this team. We are only as strong as the weakest of us." He nodded for emphasis.

"I don't ever lose my temper like that," Mikey said dejectedly.

"Not for a year or so," Leo said quietly.

"And that's not the only time I've done it lately," Mikey added, his blue eyes downcast. "I- I hurt Raph a few days ago."

Leo crossed his arms.

"Not physically," Mikey added hastily. "Emotionally."

"That's worse," Leo frowned.

"I know that," Mikey moaned sadly. "I was tired of taking his sick jokes, and how he was treating us, and I kinda snapped."

"Mikey, look at me." Leo put a strong hand on his shoulder. "You have a unique emotional bond with each of us. But for some reason, you feel that the bond is entirely your responsibility. And not only that, but the bond between the rest of us." He patted Mikey's shoulder gently. "There is nothing wrong with being distressed when two of us are upset at each other. But it's not your place to fix it."

"B-But," Mikey pleaded, "It's what I _do_."

"Yes, and I'm telling you, you don't have to."

"But I'm good at it!"

Leo chuckled softly. "Yes, you are. You bring levity and humour to any situation. You and Donnie are especially good at diffusing arguments. And I've never told you how much I appreciate that. And you."

Mikey gave him a timid smile.

"But you don't have to feel personally responsible if we remain upset. Do you understand?"

He nodded slowly.

"Now, Mike," Leo said, his tone stern once more, "there are things we need to discuss. Each of us has admitted we should've told you before now, but we were so wrapped up in our own problems we were blinded to the help you could've offered. For that, we are truly sorry."

"That's all I wanna do, Leo," Mikey said in a small voice. "I just wanna help."

"I know, Mike." He sighed. "You spoke many harsh words in anger. What are you going to do about it?"

"I _was_ gonna go away," Mikey grumbled.

"Running away from problems is Raphael and I's department, not yours."

Mikey sniggered. Donnie gave Raph a sly smirk and got punched silently on the arm.

"So how are you going to handle this?"

"I- I'm gonna apologize," Mikey said. He paused, then collapsed against Leo, hugging him fiercely. "I'm so sorry! I don't understand what's going on, but I really don't care. I just want my family happy."

"Mike," Leo said softly, "we can't be happy if you're not at home." He patted his brother's shell fondly. "Don't cry, Mikey. It's alright now."

"What about Alex?" Mikey wailed into his shoulder. "I- I didn't mean what I said and now she's gonna hate me!"

"My advice would be to explain," Leo said simply.

"Okay," Mikey sniffed. "I'll try."

Leo leaned back, smiling down at Mikey. "_Do. Or do not._"

"_There is no try_." Mikey laughed though the last of his tears. "Okay. I'll do it."

"And Mike, remember this; you will have to live with the consequences of your outburst," Leo warned as they began to walk off. "For example, Alex doesn't want to see you tomorrow. We're helping her move."

"Bummer," Mikey sighed. "That sounds fun."

"Maybe you should ask her if…" they heard Leo say before they rounded a corner and disappeared.

Donnie leaned back against both Raph and the wall. "All's well that ends well, I guess."

"I guess," Raph said. "Hell. Remember the tantrums Mikey would throw as a child?"

"Do I ever," Donnie said dryly. "I remember when you broke his Superman action figure."

Raphael winced. "I still have that scar." He looked over at Donnie, his eyes concerned. "I- I told Leo everyone would be okay with us, but… Do you think Mikey will be okay?"

"Yeah. Don't worry," Donnie reassured him. "Mikey is fine if there's not continual stress like there has been. His stress tolerance is extremely high. As long as we aren't at each other's throats, he's going to be just fine."

"Okay," Raph said grumpily, not sounding convinced.

"Trust me," Donnie said, standing up and reaching down to help him stand. "Home will go back to normal." He laughed, adding, "With a few twists."

"Yeah," Raphael smiled. "Think Mikey will be lonely without anyone?"

"Nah." Donnie waved a hand dismissively. "Cause I think us three learned we need to pay more attention to him."

"You can say that again," Raph muttered. He kicked a rusted coffee can off the edge of the roof, watching it fall. "So… Don…"

Donatello paused, crouching on the railing. "Hm?"

"You and Alex… Have you done anything?" Raphael watched with amusement as his brother's face reddened immediately.

"N- no," he admitted. "I told her I didn't want to think about that just yet."

"Why?" Raphael asked in surprise. "She loves you. You love her. She's hot. You're… not, but you get my drift."

Donnie punched his arm, holding out his other hand to keep his balance. "You need to remember, Raph, that I've known Lexi for a relatively short period of time. _You've _known your partner all your life."

"Oh. True," Raph admitted, giving him a devious grin. "You totally _should_, though."

"Oh gods above, spare me," Donnie said, clapping a hand over his ears. "I really, really don't wanna hear about you guys."

"I- We haven't done anything either," Raphael grumbled. "He acts like he wants to, then he doesn't. I'm not at my best when I'm around him, so I have trouble reading him sometimes." His eyes unfocused, his expression wistful. "Like there's this place on his neck, when I bite just right-,"

"_Ahh-ahhh,_" Donnie sang, firmly clamping his hands on his head again. "I said spare me!"

"Sorry," Raphael said sheepishly. "But I rest my case. He makes me _stupid_." He held up a hand, laughing. "Wait, wait, wait, don't you dare say anything!"

"You've got to stop leaving yourself open like that," Donnie chuckled.

"But I made my point," Raphael sniggered.

"Many times over!"

Raph leaned on Donnie, nearly upsetting his balance. "Okay. Seems like Mikey is going to be fine. That's a relief. I'm sure Alex will come around. So let's go have some fun!"

They traded evil grins, then jumped down from the railing, racing off into the night.

"See?" Leo said, pointing after his brothers. He and Mikey were perched on a rooftop above where Donnie and Raph had just been. "They still adore you. They're not mad at you."

Mikey nodded, smiling. "I didn't know you approved of spying, bro."

Leo shifted uncomfortably. "I… don't, but I figured this might help you."

He hugged Leo tightly again. "Thanks, Leo. It did. And I'm gonna tell them I'm sorry, too."

"Good." He turned to give Mikey a sly smile. "Now let's go kick some ass."

"Righteous!" Mikey yelled, leaping down after his eldest brother.

[Author's Note]

Lookit me with my nerdy _Star Wars_ reference. xD

So, the poll I had is over, and the smutty chapters will be / are included in the published version of this story. The chapters have titles, so if you still want to skim or skip over them, it's easier to do so. If you decide to read them... Well, please be HONEST if you review and let me know what you think of them. I'm nervous about posting such content... I usually keep tidbits like that to myself and don't show anyone. ^^;;

P.S.: OMG, I didn't realize I had so many new reviews in just the last few hours. Eep. I'll address them soon, but ninjalover13: ASK AND RECEIVE! HERES YOUR UPDATE! YAY!


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Alex shivered, re-wrapping her scarf around her head. The unusually mild weather had ended, and this early in the morning the wind was bitingly cold. She was on her way to her new apartment to meet the Turtles. All four of them.

She sighed into her scarf. Mikey had pleaded with her over the phone to talk with her in person today. Initially she was dead set against it and wouldn't listen, tempted to hang up on him. Mikey had told her ten times how sorry he was, and how much he wanted to say that to her face, and she had finally relented. She'd said stupid things she'd regretted, and she knew how it felt.

Light snow collected on her scarf, and she couldn't help but smile. She loved snow, even if she hated the cold. She could've taken a cab, but the walk was lifting her mood. She couldn't _wait_ to get to her apartment. They were going to pick up the moving truck together and have a grand adventure driving through city traffic. She giggled to herself, wondering who was going to drive.

Alex was so wrapped in her thoughts she didn't see the person flagging her down until a hand touched her shoulder. Glancing up, her insides twisted as she saw Chuck.

"Hell, learn when to give up," she muttered angrily, shaking his hand off.

"Hi to you too," he said, falling into step beside her. "Whatcha up to?"

She bowed her head against the wind, ignoring him.

"It's pretty early to be out. I know you hate the cold."

"Cut the small talk crap," she snapped. "You're two seconds away from convincing me to get that restraining order."

"Alex, relax. I'm just trying to be nice." He gave her a big smile. "Hey, you want this tea?" He held up a Starbucks cup. "I just got it but I haven't drunk any yet."

"You must think I'm completely retarded," she snorted. "If you confess to know so much about me, you know I never drink from opened beverages. For all I know, you've drugged it."

"Alex, _really,_" he chided. "I'm not a monster."

"Yes you are," she said through gritted teeth. "After I get done today, I _am_ getting that restraining order. Congratulations."

"You know that's not necessary. Done with what?" he asked innocently.

She didn't reply; they stopped on the street corner, waiting for the light to change.

"Alex, I miss you," he said sadly.

Silence.

He frowned.

The light changed, and she rapidly walked across the road. He had to hurry to keep up with her.

"So who's your new friend?" he asked sullenly.

He gasped as Alex stopped and pushed him roughly into an alley and slammed him into a wall.

"You leave him the fuck alone, douchebag," she hissed.

He rubbed his neck, his eyes narrowing. "What the hell, Alex! I was just asking."

She pointed a finger at him. "You stay far away from him. And me. Or he'll kick your ass to kingdom come."

"Oh yeah?" Chuck laughed maliciously.

"Watch it, or I'll let him have a few rounds with you," she retorted. He backed up against the wall as she smiled evilly.

Chuck straightened his glasses in annoyance. "Alex, you're still obviously upset over your mother's death-,"

"Don't you dare pretend to know me," she growled. "You don't know shit. You never cared to know me."

Alex gasped as she saw Chuck's hand move, then felt a sharp pain on the side of her face. She clutched her cheek, stumbling backwards. She looked up in shock to see Chuck's face twisted with anger. He had _hit_ her!

He pushed her shoulders to the opposite wall, and she moaned in pain as her head crashed against it from the momentum.

"How dare you accuse me of not caring for you," he breathed angrily, pinning her against the wall. "I know _everything_ about you."

* * *

Donatello checked his watch, frowning. They'd been waiting on the rooftop of Lexi's apartment for fifteen minutes. He knew she was coming on foot, but with the cold he knew she wouldn't be walking slowly.

"Relax, Donnie," Leo said, patting his shoulder. "She probably stopped for a snack."

"You know how she likes to eat," Mikey piped up. He was jumping in place to stay warm.

Donnie shook his head. "I'm going to meet her on the way," he said, unable to shake the feeling something was wrong.

"Want company?" Raph asked.

"Nah. I'll be back soon with her in tow," Donnie said, giving a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He shrugged out of his coat and hat. "Hang tight." He took off, leaping to the next roof and moving to the edge to keep an eye on the people below.

His pace picked up as he passed the first block, his unease growing. The city was sleepy and calm, but all he felt was dread. Lexi was insistent on punctuality; she had told Donnie so many times how being late irritated her. Not even her stomach would keep her from being tardy, especially when he knew they were dying to see each other.

He leapt over an alleyway, then slid to a halt. There she was! His anger flared immediately when he recognized Chuck. The fat bastard was leaning over her, and they appeared to be having an intimate conversation.

Donnie frowned, peering closer. He couldn't see much of her around Chuck. He closed his eyes, filtering out the sounds of the city to zero in on their voices.

"I've always loved you," Chuck was saying. "From the moment I saw you in that bookstore."

Lexi was silent.

Donnie's frown deepened. What the hell? Chuck went on for another moment, professing his undying love for her. Why wasn't Lexi responding?

An evil part of his brain wondered if she would prefer Chuck to him, but he quashed it immediately. This scenario didn't make sense. Lexi loved him. And she was scared of Chuck.

Donatello pulled his Bo staff from his back, gripping it tightly. He tensed his leg muscles, ready to spring as soon as Lexi indicated anything. A few seconds later, Chuck took a step to the side, and Donnie's heart turned to ice as he saw her slumped against the wall, a hand on her cheek. Her eyes were narrowed in loathing and coated with tears.

That was all the motivation he needed.

Yelling his fury, he dove toward the ground, bringing his Bo close to his body. Chuck only saw a brief flash of green and brown before the staff connected with his head, falling to the ground and skidding out onto the sidewalk on his back.

"Donnie!" Alex sobbed, reaching for him. His Bo clattered to the concrete as he gathered her in his arms, burying his nose in her hair.

"Shh, it's alright," he said soothingly, even as his body was still shaking with rage.

"He _hit_ me!" she cried into his shoulder.

He crushed her to his chest. "He'll never hurt you again."

"Is he…?"

"Sadly, no," Donnie spat vehemently. "But he's going to wish he was. Stay here." She whimpered as he let her go, stalking over to where Chuck lay. Donnie grabbed the front of his shirt and dragged him back into the alley, smashing him into a wall.

"F- f- fuck," Chuck moaned, clutching his head. He looked up, his eyes widening in pure horror as he saw Donatello. "Wh- What the hell are you?"

Alex stepped over to Donnie, putting her arm around his possessively. "Remember that I told you he'd kick your ass? Well, it's coming."

"If I ever see you again," Donnie breathed harshly, putting his face right next to Chuck's, "I _will _kill you."

"D- Don't hurt me!" Chuck shrieked, shrinking down the wall.

"If you ever bother Lexi again…" Donnie's eyes were slits as he reared back and balled his hand into a fist. "_I will kill you._ Understood?"

"Yes! I understand! Please! Don't hurt me!"

Donnie put every ounce of his anger into his fist as he brought it around, hitting Chuck so hard his glasses shattered. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Let's go," Alex begged. "Please."

Donnie stepped back, taking a few deep breaths. "Of course." He picked up his Bo and replaced it on his back. "C'mere."

She ran into his arms and he picked her up gently. He carried her over the rooftops, slowing as they neared her apartment. He stopped just out of sight of his brothers.

"Lexi," he murmured, holding her close to him. "My precious, are you alright?"

"I am now," she whispered back. "I- I've never been hit before."

"And that's the last time," he growled.

"It- It wasn't pleasant," she said, trying to smile. "How did you find me?"

He stroked her hair lovingly. "You were late. I knew something had to be wrong." He kissed her forehead several times. "I'm never letting you out of my sight again, you know that?"

"I knew he was a creepy stalker but I never would've guessed he… he…" She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, this time giving him a genuine smile. "Y'know, if you rescue a girl, she instantly falls in love with you."

He chuckled softly, then bent his head to press his lips to hers. They shared a soft, gentle kiss, and he felt most of his anger subsiding.

As they parted, she opened her eyes to gaze into his. "I love you, Donatello."

"I love you, Alexandria." He rubbed his nose against hers playfully, and she giggled. "Do you feel better?"

"Immensely."

"Then let's get you inside, shall we? Everyone's waiting for us." He tilted her head slightly, frowning as he saw the bruise forming on her cheek. "We should get some ice on that."

"And some aspirin," she sighed wistfully.

"That too," he said quietly. "Hold on."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he took a running leap and landed next to his brothers. Questions immediately broke out, each trying to talk over the other.

"Shaddup!" Raphael finally shouted, and the rest winced visibly. "Let's get her inside."

"Exactly," Donnie said sharply, clasping her to his chest protectively. Lexi gave him her key, and moments later they were inside her new apartment.

* * *

[Author's Note]

Okay okay I said I wouldn't update for a day or two but goshdarnit I wanted to. xD Yay for heroic rescues!

Emily-Twilight gets two e-cookies! You were right! That's partly why I wanted to update tonight, to let you know. :3

I want to assure everyone that the poll is now CLOSED; it's unanimous, the smutty chapters are going to be included! You sick, sick people. I love you guys.

It's super late where I am, and I can't reply to all my reviews I got tonight- I'M SO SORRY. AND TRUST ME I LOVE YOU! I promise _promise_ I will reply to them in the next chapter update. I just wanted to get the update updated… but I'm just sooo tired… about to fall asleep.

And holy crap, Saya the Ninja Cat, you're on a PSP? Dude that would take _for-ev-er_. Many kudos and e-cookies to all the readers _not_ on a computer!


	33. To My Readers

[Dec 13, 2010]

To YOU, my kind readers;

Yes, before you ask, I will be posting a chapter tonight but as promised yesterday, I want to respond to all the reviews I got yesterday and today. I am currently buried in them and I feel terrible that I didn't have time to respond last night. So I'm going to post this and leave it up to show my appreciation to everyone who reads!

Before we get to the reviews, two things:

First, here's something that I thought might make you giggle. I'm sitting here in my chair on my wonderful laptop, Fiernaa, and I have my TMNT fingerless gloves on (they have Donnie's face on the backs), and my '88 Mikey plushie is sitting in my lap watching me write. xD I'm such a shameless fangirl!

Second, I want to assure everyone that the poll is now CLOSED; it's unanimous, the smutty chapters are going to be included! You sick, sick people. I love you guys.

In no particular order, here are replies!

Curly-Mop: Squee! I'm so excited you liked the more romantic chapters. I admit I've written a fair few romantic sequences over the years in RP internet sessions and stories I keep to myself, but this is the first I've ever let loose on the public. I tried to not make it overly sugary sweet and stay within the personalities. I'm also a bit of a fan of love triangles, though I feel most people take them too far and use too much angst with them. I couldn't resist throwing hints of that in for a bit of spice. ;) As always, you're a complete dear and thank you for leaving your thoughts on each chapter! I love seeing what you think!

Emily-Twilight: Well, I promise I'm trying to avoid too much gushy stuff. xD But I'm also not a fan of any dark or horribly angst-y stuff, so my story will remain _more_ on the fluff side. *gigglesnort* And yes, you were psychic: I was already writing out the next chapter about Chuck when I read your review. Muwahaha! Pat yourself on the back!

emmaisemo:  Good grief, this would take forever to read on a cellphone! X_x I appreciate your comments so much! Especially considering how difficult it must be to read my story sometimes. You're a doll! Much love!

Saya the Ninja Cat: As Donnie said, they've all learned they need to spend more time with Mikey. hehehe Poor Mikey. He should be fine now! And I'm stunned to be declared one of your favourite authors. I swear, any more praise and I'm gonna have enough motivation to write the High Fantasy novel I've had written in my head for the past 10 years…. I've been scared to death to actually try to get into the published world, but now that I've received this much love from such an insignificant fanfiction story… I'm very tempted!

Kutiel1993: Thank you for stopping by to read, and taking the time to leave a review! Don't worry about the updates: they'll keep coming ASAP as I write the chapters until this story is done!

Ninjalover13: Well, you aren't _supposed_ to like Chuck. xD I won't say much here, but I've known someone just like him- an almost sane façade over a very dark heart. Needless to say, Chuck was easy to write because of my real-life experience.

Casey: Well gosh, what to say? (Besides THANK YOU again!) I've already told you some in a PM, but wow. Being the inspiration to finally join FFnet so you can review is one of the highest compliments I could've ever gotten. I cannot stress enough how much even a small, short review means to an author- especially when a story means as much to them as this one does to me. Wow! *glomps you twice*

And now.. I'll post the next chapter shortly.. I took a break to write this. xD

Much love, luck, and lollipops,

-cndrow

P.S.: Does anyone wonder what 'cndrow' means? I've used it for many years; it comes from Dungeons & Dragons. CN is an abbreviation for a personality alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Drow is a race of elves that live underground in the Faerun setting of D&D, and are one of the most complex and well-written races I've come across in a fantasy setting. Hence, CNDrow. The More You Know(tm)!


	34. Chapter 33

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Thirty-Three

As her apartment was still completely empty, Alex went across the hallway to ask the elderly couple for a few things. They were astonished to see her in such a condition and fussed over her as much as the brothers were. She had to convince them three times that her friends would take care of her before they'd let her leave. Not only did they give her a small bucket of ice, two hand towels, several Ziploc bags and a full bottle of Tylenol, Alex also left with a loaf of banana bread that was still warm from the oven.

"Oh my goodness, those two are so sweet," she sighed as she finally returned to her apartment. "But they can talk your ears off."

"They seemed very concerned," Leo said as he took the items from her arms. "We heard them from here." He led her over to the living room window where they'd made a makeshift sitting area by laying down their coats on the floor.

Raphael packed one of the bags with ice and smashed it against the floor before wrapping it in one of the towels. He frowned as he handed it to her.

"You're gonna have a black eye," he said angrily.

"Never had one of those either," she said, almost giggling.

Donnie and Leo watched her silently as Raph helped her hold the bag to her face. Her eyes were a little too bright, her smile strained.

"Here," Mikey nearly whispered, holding out a bottle of water and two Tylenol.

She glared at him initially, but Raph put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently as silent advice. Mikey's face was crestfallen, and she relaxed, giving him a small smile.

"Thanks, Mike," she said, accepting the medicine.

He mumbled something she couldn't hear and backed away, staying a respectable distance from her.

She looked up at Donnie, frowning. "How long do I have to hold this here?"

"Give it ten minutes at least," he said, kneeling beside her and replacing Raph's hand on the bag.

"Cause I wanna get going," she replied, her smile widening. "And I wanna see you guys fight over who gets to drive."

"Ha, that's easy," Raphael said, jabbing his thumb into his chest. "I am."

Leo rolled his eyes.

"But I wanna drive!" Mikey argued, creeping closer to the group.

"_No!_" his brothers shouted in unison, and he cringed.

"Oh c'mon bros, I only crashed the Turtle Van once!" he pleaded. "And that's cause there were giant vines growing outta the pavement!"

Donnie shook his head violently, though he was grinning. "No, no. I can see it now. Raph and I will have to spend an entire week fixing the truck after you're done with it. Lexi is _renting_ this truck. We have to be careful with it."

Mikey frowned, crossing his arms. "Okay, fine. But then Raph shouldn't drive either!"

"Oh, don't you bring that up now," Raph growled playfully. "Your stupid sewer skater broke _on its own_; it wasn't my fault!"

"Suuure," Mikey teased.

"Fine, then by default, I think Leo should drive," Alex said wryly, and Donnie gave her an affronted look.

"Hey, I can drive perfectly fine!"

"I'm sure, but I want you to sit by me," she replied, smiling up at him.

"Oh." He grinned at her. "I'd much rather do that."

"But… But…" Leo gestured helplessly. "I don't want to drive!"

"Too bad," Raphael grinned. "You're the Fearless Leader."

"Which means I should get some say in this!" Leo smiled wryly.

"Nah, it's unanimous," Mikey laughed. "Which is good, cause I brought my PSP. I wanna beat this level anyway." He pulled it out and flipped it on.

Raphael shot Mikey a wily grin as he yelled, "I call shotgun!"

"Shit!" Mikey exclaimed, looking up and glowered at Raph. "I forgot!"

"Ya snooze ya lose," Raph sniggered, then grunted as Mikey put his PSP down and tackled him backwards onto his shell.

"Y'know," Leo said, scooting closer to Alex as the pair rolled past him, "we're going to teach you self-defense over this winter."

"Would be nice," she admitted. "He was so close I couldn't get my knee up to kick him in the nuts. And I was too shocked." She shook her head. "Normally I don't freeze up in situations like that; I always panic _afterwards_." She leaned into Donnie's hand, closing her eyes. "I just never expected that from him."

Donnie smoothed a hand over her hair, pulling it back from her face. "Everyone has the potential for evil, Lexi. We make choices every moment of every day about the type of person we want to be."

"Well, he definitely made a choice," she frowned. "I'm still getting that restraining order."

"Good. And I swear I will kill him if I ever see him again," Donnie muttered. He looked down at her questioningly. "Does that bother you?"

"No," she admitted. "Because I flew off the handle when he mentioned you. I knew then he'd been following me, and us. If he did anything to any of you guys…" Her voice trailed off, her eyes dark with anger.

Leo wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It won't come to that. You are completely safe with us, and we always look out for one another. But still, we're going to teach you a few things."

She smiled up at him. "Good, I want to get into shape anyway."

"But you're skinny," Mikey remarked, looking over the chokehold he had on Raph.

"I'm not skinny. And I'm not _in shape_," she laughed. "Now help me up; I wanna get going!"

"You sure?" Donnie asked, offering her a hand and pulling her to her feet. "We can rest a bit longer."

"Nope," she grinned. "I want to get started. I have a lot of unpacking to do."

"Well, we have all day," Leo replied. "This should be fun!"

As she expected, the drive out of town was an experience in and of itself. By then the traffic had picked up considerably, and the streets were clogged with people and cars.

Alex was amused to discover that Raphael was the very definition of a 'backseat driver', yelling and cursing at anyone who got in their way and directing Leo where to go and when to stop. Leonardo was tolerant most of the way, but eventually his patience wore thin and he snapped a few times. Raphael gave him an apologetic smile after he would reprimand him to be quiet.

Despite the disastrous intentions of New York City's traffic, they eventually arrived unscathed at the house. They were impressed with Alex's efforts over the weekend; the house looked fantastic inside and out. She had arranged everything she wanted to keep along the grand entrance hall, which made their job of carrying it out to the truck much easier. Though the brothers protested, Alex insisted on carrying smaller and lighter boxes out with them.

Half of the hallway was already cleared when they took a short break. They decided even though they were already hungry, they'd wait on ordering pizza back at the apartment. Alex was thrilled to make her first call from her new place anyway.

She and Donnie were in the kitchen getting a drink when he leaned back on the counter, looking at her inquisitively.

"Are you wearing perfume today?" he asked, an odd tone to his voice.

"No, I don't like wearing it," she replied, sipping from her water glass. "My mother never used many scented products, so I grew up without things like perfume or make-up."

He frowned, studying her. "Strange. You smell different today."

"I _smell?_" she laughed, and he held up his hands in apology.

"No, no, you don't _smell;_ it's just there's this… scent…" He closed his eyes as he breathed in deeply. "I noticed it earlier, but it's stronger now. It's not your normal mint and herbs either."

"Mint? Oh, that's my shampoo," she replied, reaching behind her and pushing herself up to sit on the counter. She swung her legs idly. "But that's about all I use that has scent in it."

"Hmm." A dopey grin crossed his face. "Whatever it is, it's amazing."

"But I haven't used anything," she laughed again. "Honest."

He walked over to her, and the intensity glowing in his eyes made her shiver delightfully. "It's intoxicating."

"Really?" she asked, genuinely curious now.

"Yes," he breathed softly, his face a mixture of confusion and desire. "It almost reminds me of something…"

"Wh- what?" she asked, leaning forward, their noses nearly touching.

"Wait." He froze, taking a step backwards. "I- I know what this is. Can I ask you a personal question?"

More puzzled than ever, she just nodded eagerly.

"When was your last monthly cycle?"

She burst out laughing, covering her mouth as he flushed. "Um. Um, two weeks ago or so?"

"Okay," he muttered, grinning sheepishly. "That explains it. It's your pheromones."

She stared at him for a few seconds, thinking, then snapped her fingers. "Oh! Because I'm ovulating. Right?"

"Yeah." He took a deep breath, but it only served to draw more of her scent into his nostrils, and he briefly shook his head to clear it. "It's really strong."

She slid slowly off the counter, a sly smile on her face. "Now this is interesting."

"That's a completely unfair advantage," he complained. "Completely unfair."

"I'm sorry, Donnie, but I'm evil enough to use it," she winked. She reached forward, running her fingers down his chest with a light touch. He shuddered visibly, his half-lidded eyes burning with desire.

"_Lexi,_" he pleaded. "If you're going to use your advantage, at least wait 'til we get home?"

"Reasonable enough," she grinned. "I'll have plenty of time to torture you later. In the meantime… There's nothing I can do to, um, shut this off or tone it down, is there?"

"No," he said miserably. "And be warned, it'll affect all of us."

She wrinkled her nose. "That… doesn't sound pleasant."

"It's okay, they can, ah, take care of themselves. Just keep it in mind."

She chuckled. "Okay."

"Hey!" Raphael poked his head into the kitchen. "Break time is over, lovebirds. Let's finish this up."

"Couldn't agree more," Donnie muttered as they followed him into the hallway.

* * *

[Author's Note]

I'm so evil to my Donnie. :3 _Pheromones. _*gigglesnort*


	35. Chapter 34

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains HILARIOUS allusions to tcest. I'm not kidding. Just read. xD **

Chapter Thirty-Four

Everything was packed in the truck by lunchtime. Raphael showed remarkable organization as he helped Donnie direct how to stack the boxes and furniture for maximum stability. The brothers spent extra care tying down anything inside that looked like it might tip or wobble.

Alex wanted one last turn around the house by herself, so the brothers waited out by the truck. Donnie kept a close eye on his brothers after the break, and he noticed small changes in their behavior, though nothing extraordinary.

"So, Mike," he said, trying to sound casual, "were you going to hang with Casey any more this week?"

"_Aaaah-ctually_," Mikey drawled as he rolled his PSP back and forth, concentrating on his game, "I was gonna stay at least one more night. We've got Halo lined up since April is out of town for a few days."

Donnie breathed a sigh of relief, and Leo raised an eyebrow at him.

"What's up, Don?" Raph asked, crossing his arms and leaning against Leo.

Donnie's eyes darted between them, venturing a small smile. "I'm not sure I like you two teaming up like this."

Leonardo crossed his arms, matching Raph's. Donnie sighed and kicked Mikey's foot for his attention, who yelped and gave him a stare.

"Remember me explaining why it's… difficult to be around April sometimes?" Donnie allowed himself some satisfaction as his brothers flushed identically. "Well, Lexi is… ah, like that right now."

"I'm _definitely_ staying at Casey's," Mikey said quickly, returning to _Loco Roco_ and rolling his PSP violently.

"That's… interesting," Leo said. "But nothing we've not been able to handle before."

"Agreed," Raph said, kicking at the gravel.

"Just letting you know," Donnie muttered. He shot a glance at each of them briefly. "I doubt I need to say it, but also; hands off."

Mikey just snorted, bringing his PSP closer to his nose as he attempted to ignore the rest of the conversation. Donnie was delighted to see Raph move a step closer to Leo possessively.

Alex peeked around the side of the truck, smiling as she poked Mikey on the back of the head. "Boo."

As his entire focus was his PSP, Mikey was caught off guard and jumped, causing them all to laugh. His cheeks flushed as he glared at them.

"I'm ready to leave," she announced happily. "I'll have to come back for the estate sale, but I'm really happy to not live here anymore." She handed the truck keys to Leo. "Shall we?"

He frowned as he accepted them. He turned to level a stare at Raph. "I don't know, _Raphael;_ do you think you can sit still while we drive back?"

"Sit still? No problem," Raph winked at him. "Silent… I'll work on it."

Leo gave him a smoldering glare, then walked to the driver's side, muttering.

"Raph," Donnie said gently, "do try to not antagonize him."

"Why?" Raph pulled Mikey toward the door, who never took his eyes from his game. "I like pushing his buttons."

"I like the entertainment!" Alex laughed, opening the door and climbing into the back. The rest of them piled in and Leo threw the truck in reverse.

Raphael did try to not say much as they reached the city limits, but his resolve broke as a small group of tourists darted in front of them.

"Oh, what the _hell!_" Raph yelled, flipping them off. "Goddamn idiots running around with no coats and no brains!" He sat back, fuming.

"Raph," Leo said softly in warning.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph said, waving his hand dismissively.

The truck was silent for the span of five solid minutes before Raphael gave Leo a smirk as he remarked, "Y'know, yield doesn't mean _stop_."

Leonardo didn't reply, but Donnie noticed his grip on the steering wheel tighten.

"Yer going too fast," Raphael frowned.

Leo growled softly, keeping his eyes on the road.

Never taking his eyes off his game, Mikey put out a foot on the back of the seat on front of him and an elbow on the window.

"Brace yourself," Donnie murmured, checking to see if Alex's seatbelt was fastened tightly.

"Why?" she whispered back.

"Might get rough," Donnie said softly. "Leo's reaching his limit."

She giggled, wrapping her arms around his. The three in the back waited, breathing shallowly, afraid to make any noise. Another several moments passed in utter silence, then-

"That light was red!" Raphael said, pointing upwards.

Everyone yelled as Leo slammed on the brakes, swerving into an empty alley. Donnie had Alex's head in his hand so she wouldn't bash it against the passenger seat. Prepared as he was, Mikey's PSP flew out of his hands and slid under Leo's seat. He moaned, frantically wriggling out of his seatbelt to fish for it.

"What the _fuck,_ Leo?" Raph yelled, clinging to the door handle. He recoiled against it as Leo turned an angry glare on him.

"Fine," Leo breathed vehemently. "You win. _You_ drive." He opened the door and dashed around the hood of the truck to Raphael's side. He yanked his door open and bodily pulled Raphael out, climbing to sit in his place.

Muttering curses under his breath, Raphael stomped to the driver's side and got in, slamming the door shut in emphasis. He revved the engine, and then drove the truck to the end of the alley. He peered both ways, wondering which way to go. Finally he pulled out to the left.

"Wrong way," Leo said dryly.

Raphael's muscles tensed as he fully realized Leonardo's intentions.

"Stop signs aren't suggestions," Leo added, pointing.

"Okay," Raphael said through gritted teeth. "I get it, Leo. Funny."

"I thought so!" Leonardo said cheerfully. He relaxed in his seat, resting his hands behind his head and crossing his feet.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun," Alex whispered gleefully, and the other two in the back couldn't contain their laughter.

"Yeah, laugh it up. Assholes," Raphael growled.

"We will," Donnie said, leaning against Leo's seat as he snickered loudly.

"Dog!" Leo said, pointing again, and Raphael cursed as he swerved. Several horns honked as the truck crossed the yellow line for a second.

"You're tailgating," Leonardo said, smiling. "Did this truck come without blinkers?"

"_Fuck you, Leo!_" Raphael spared a second to glower at him. "_Fuck you!_"

"Promise?" Leo asked huskily.

Raphael's expression was priceless as he gaped wordlessly at his brother.

"_Ewwwwwwwww,_" Mikey exclaimed, dropping his PSP and clapping his hands over his ears.

Donnie and Alex held onto each other, laughing so hard they couldn't sit straight.

Everyone yelled again as the truck clipped a tree, shaking them violently. Shocked, Raphael had kept his gaze locked on Leo's, and had drifted onto the sidewalk. A tinkle of glass confirmed that at least one of the headlamps had broken.

"Shit," Donnie groaned, already going through his mental list of spare parts. "Thanks, Leo. Thanks."

Leo turned in his seat, grinning impishly as his eyes glowed with pride. "I'm sorry, Donnie. But it was worth it. _So _worth it."

Alex leaned forward, still unable to speak from laughing. She gave Leo a high five.

"That was… That was…" Raphael paused, a silly grin spreading across his face. "Goddamn _sexy_."

Mikey groaned and put his headphones on.

"And you're still going the wrong way," Leo smirked.

Raphael loosed his deathgrip from the wheel to punch his arm.

The truck was filled with laughter the rest of the way to the apartment. Still uncomfortable, Mikey begged to go up with Alex to unlock the apartment and get a service elevator key. Still chuckling, she agreed and they stepped into the building.

"You okay, Mike?" she asked as they walked down a long hallway.

"I… will be," he shrugged. "It's just weird."

"Define 'it'."

He gave her an exasperated glance. "Durp. Leo and Raph." He peered closer at her. "Why aren't you weirded out?"

"Well…" She hesitated, thinking. "Well, here's the thing, Mike-,"

"I'm not _Mike_," he interrupted, sounding sullen.

"And you haven't apologized," she said sharply, staring straight ahead.

He captured her hand with his, pulling her to a halt. "I know. And there's no better time. Alex, I'm really sorry. I was so jealous, and things have been so strange at home, and I snapped. I- I do that. It just builds and builds and then I blow up. And my mouth just goes and goes…"

"When doesn't it?" she asked dryly.

He winced slightly. "I didn't mean what I said. I really like you Alex. I mean, I liked you, y'know, in that way. But I'm okay with you and Donnie. He needs you."

She raised her eyebrows. "Does he?"

"Yeah. And you two are so happy, and I'm happy for you. I just snapped that night is all."

She reached up to hold his face in her hands, emerald eyes burning into blue. "Mikey. Do you know how important you are to me?"

He shook his head 'no'.

"I've spent my entire life wanting a brother," she said softly. "Every Christmas I asked Santa for a brother. Every birthday I asked my mother for a brother."

He frowned slightly, listening.

"Finally when I was six my mother said she was going to give me a brother for Christmas." Alex's eyes lit up with excitement. "I can't tell you how thrilled I was! I spent the next several months dividing up my toys into mine and his. I set aside my favourite blanket for him. I touched my mother's stomach every morning to say hello."

"What happened?" Mikey whispered.

"My mother miscarried going into her fifth month. It was twins; a boy and girl." Alex shook her head. "I was too young to understand. Many years later, my mother finally told me. By then, she and my father had had time to grieve, to accept what had happened. But I had been left wondering all those years where my brother went. Wondering if my brother had decided I'd be a terrible sister and had left me." A tear welled in her eye. "I have never been able to deal with that grief, Mikey. My mother told me about her miscarriage on Christmas morning, when I was unwrapping a large present. All I could think about was how I'd never get to play with it with my brother. _My brother._"

Identical tears slipped down their cheeks. Alex gripped his shoulders and hugged him to her fiercely.

"Mikey, _you're_ that little brother. The brother I never got to call by name, the brother I never got to yell at, the brother I never got to play games with and cook with and _be_ with."

"I'm so sorry, Alex," Mikey sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." He held her as they cried together.

Finally Mikey pulled back, reaching up to brush Alex's tears away with his coat sleeve. "I'll always be here for you, Alex. I always want to be that brother for you."

"Promise?" she asked softly, wiping his face as he had hers.

He hugged her again, and this time they were both smiling. "I promise."

* * *

[Author's Note]

Giggles and tears, all in one chapter. ^_^ Comforted Mikey is comforted.

I want to assure everyone that the poll is now CLOSED; it's unanimous, the smutty chapters are going to be included! Rejoice fangirls and fanboys! (I hope.) But this means I expect you guys to tell me if you like them or not; I've never actually published naughty bits before, though I've written a fair few. I've always kept them to myself… So please be honest.

And, the chapters in question will be coming very shortly; within 1-2 chapters they'll be released on YOU. I'll be giving the chapters a title so if you still want to skip them, it'll be easy to tell which to skim over.

I only have time to address Saya's reviews tonight; I'll respond to y'all's next chapter! THANK YOU AND I LOVE YOU AND SO MANY HUGS TO YOU GUYS!

P.S.:  Oh! Hey guys, I've been hearing tons about this particular TMNT episode. It's called... hang on lemme check... Same As It Never Was (SAINW) I think. Have you guys seen it? I've heard a lot of hoopla about it, but as a lot of comments warned of spoilers I didn't read them (I DONT WANT SPOILERS). I have *never* seen any of the new Turtles except Turtles Forever. I've only ever seen the old stuff (old cartoons, 3 live action movies, and '07 TMNT CGI movie), as they are my beloved sweethearts of the 80's and I don't want to ruin their awesomeness with the new _junk_ they put out. _Buuuuut,_ I'm curious now. Should I watch it? It sounds dark, and apparently features Donnie a lot. Squee, Donnie luv! Should I? Should I?  
P.P.S. [2:16am]: Um. Okay. *sniffle* Nevermind. I couldn't wait for advice *sob* and I watched th- the episode. Um. I- I'm going to be in the corner over there, hugging all four of my Turtle plushies and sobbing relentlessly like the girl I am.  
P.P.P.S [next morning]: I had nightmares about this episode. It seriously needs to be made into a feature-length film so I can sob for an hour and a half! Wow. I am _impressed._

Saya the Sneaky and Awesome Ninja Cat: zomg get a FFnet account so I can message you. xD I get all giddy when you leave reviews but I gotta wait til my next update to reply! Sad panda is sad.

Anyway… Yesh, scary Don is scary. And smexy. Heh.

So… _Pheromones._ *gigglesnort* I am a Biology freak, so I sneak references of such knowledge into anything I write. See, women give off a regular cycle of two different types of pheromones every month. I don't think it's a large step in belief to think the Turtles, being half terrapin, would be able to pick up on such signals. After all, humans do; they just cannot literally smell it. My fangirlish'ness knows no bounds! xD

As to Don's questions, he has a scientific mind. He's not afraid to ask direct or potentially awkward questions. Curiosity & answers outweigh embarrassment!

Sometimes as you're writing, stories and characters tend to write themselves. As I was writing their journey to Alex's house, I knew the traffic would be bad. Well, Leo's at the helm and he's excellent under duress. But what could make him fly off the handle…? _Oh god._ Raph's a backseat driver. I myself am a backseat driver, and I've seen how irritated the driver can become. I've been yelled at a _lot_. T_T I've been re-watching through the old cartoon series, and I'd noticed how quickly Raphael is to point out when someone would drive roughly; or where they were supposed to go; or throw sarcastic remarks if they crashed or were _about_ to crash. *snerk*

Poor Leo. _Anyway,_ I left that portion brief so that the reader had room to imagine just what Raph and Leo were shouting at each other. I like it when authors do that occasionally and don't spoon-feed every dialogue to the reader. BUT I couldn't resist throwing this in this chapter; I admit I did it ONLY for the "F you" joke. ITS PURE WIN!

Mikey was playing _Loco Roco_ on the trip, btw (I should've mentioned that, ty for the reminder). God, I hate that game: I fail miserably at it. I think _he_ would really like it, though, and probably be damn good at it.

As to Alex being perfect for Donnie… well… I do hope she doesn't seem _too_ out of place with her easy acceptance. Y'see, she grew up on a steady diet of fairy tales that her father read to her. She only paints and draws within fantasy realms. For her, a not-quite-completely-human boyfriend is her dream come true! And she doesn't just have him, but three brothers as well. She'll _never_ be bored!

Zomg, long reply, sorry about that. xD Squeee It's just so fun to read your reviews! Gosh you don't know how much I appreciate them, especially considering how tedious it is for you to read & review my story! I feel loved! *hugs*


	36. Chapter 35

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to tcest.**

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Sooo," Alex drawled as she cut a box open, "it's time to start thinking of a Christmas tree. Do you guys do the whole decorating for Christmas thing?"

Donnie and Raph shrugged in unison, but Mikey jumped a few inches off the floor.

"I love Christmas trees!" he said, still bouncing.

"So do I!" Leonardo grinned.

Raphael snorted. "Trees don't belong in a sewer," he teased.

"Agreed," Donnie said, adjusting the TV along the wall.

"Okay, I can see that," Alex nodded. "But it's not any sillier than a tree in my apartment!"

"That's true," Donnie admitted, looking over his shoulder. "I just find them silly, period."

"But they're festive!" Alex pouted.

"They're silly," he repeated, laughing.

"Well," she said, unwrapping a stack of plates, "I want one. You guys are welcome to come enjoy mine anytime if you don't get one yourselves."

Mikey cheered, giving Leo a high-five. "Can we put presents under it?"

"Of course!" She piled the plates into her arms and walked unsteadily into the kitchen. "Will you guys help me pick one out? Donnie? Raph?"

"'Course," Raph said, giving her a grin. "I don't have to sweep up the needles that collect on the ground."

Alex chuckled. "I'm happy to do the sweeping. Sure is nice to have such strong men around to do all the heavy lifting." She winked at them, and simultaneously they flushed.

They worked hard for several hours, taking only a short break to snarf the pizza that was delivered. The apartment began to look more lived in as they arranged furniture and filled the kitchen counter with appliances. Mikey plugged in a boombox, which started an argument about what to listen to while they worked. Leonardo wanted to listen to anything instrumental, but the rest argued they wanted something with a beat to keep them going. However, Raph and Alex turned down Mikey's insistence of current pop music. They wanted to put on the classic rock radio station. Donnie honestly didn't care and said as much, enjoying the friendly quarrel as much as any music. As Alex only had a mop they couldn't draw straws, so they had to take turns using rock-paper-scissors. Raphael was automatically disqualified, as he and Alex were teamed up against the other two. He grumbled but acknowledged it was only fair. Alex won in the end, anyway, so they were wearing identical grins as they tuned the radio.

Finally all the boxes were empty and broken down in a stack by the front door. They collapsed on the couch, which was large enough to fit all five of them, albeit squeezed together. They munched on the cold leftover pizza and talked as they semi-watched a movie. Donnie was already planning on what he would need to 'upgrade' her TV, idly writing down ideas on a scratchpad. Alex leaned on him as she made a list of her own, making an itinerary of what groceries she needed to buy.

"We're still patrollin' tonight, right?" Raph asked, glancing at the clock.

"Of course," Leo nodded.

"Are you coming back here afterwards?" Alex asked hopefully.

The brothers exchanged looks, but Leo nodded at them, indicating they should decide.

"I'd like for you to!" she added, smiling. "I know Mikey's going to Casey's. I'd like to spend my first night here but after this morning…" She frowned. "I'd like to not be alone."

"Then we'll come back here," Raph grinned. "Master Splinter probably won't be home tonight. When he leaves, he's usually gone for a few weeks."

"Awesome! What do you want for dinner? I'll go shopping while you're gone." She saw Donnie's worried glance and closed her hands over his. "I'll be perfectly fine. You can walk me to the store before you head off to do your thing, and I'll take a cab home."

"Okay," Donnie said, not sounding convinced.

"But seriously, he's not showing his face again," Alex said, patting his shoulder and standing up. She fumbled through a drawer, withdrawing a box of matches. "Are you guys leaving soon?"

"It'll be dark by the time we get you to the store," Leo said. "We may as well."

"Alright then." She bent over four candles arranged in a square on the table. Donnie watched her lips move silently as she lit each one.

"What're you doin'?" Raph asked curiously.

She blew the match out and walked to the kitchen to wet it down. "I'm keeping those candles burning until each of you are home tonight from your patrol."

"Why?" Mikey asked, puzzled.

"Each candle represents her prayer that we will return safely," Donnie said, smiling. "Lexi, you're a pagan too?"

"I dunno," she replied, coming back to the couch. "I guess so. All I know is; the power of belief is impressive."

"I'll second that," Leo said, standing beside her. "Suit up, brothers."

They adorned their various weapons eagerly, then shrugged into their coats. Alex wrapped herself in a wool coat and a red tartan scarf, pulling it over her nose.

It was a chilly but fun walk to the grocery store. They saw city workers hanging Christmas lights on the traffic lights, and Mikey kept pointing them out as they passed by. Snow began to fall lightly as they reached the store.

Donatello hung back, letting the others move ahead of him and Alex. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a warm kiss.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Donnie," she said firmly. "You cannot fret about me while you're out. As Leo will tell you, you're part of a team; your mind must be with them tonight. No distractions." She leaned forward and kissed his nose playfully. "You can focus on me when you get home. Until then, do not let me cloud your thoughts."

He breathed in deeply, his voice heavy with longing. "I can't help it, you smell _so good_. But I'll do my best."

"Deep breaths," she giggled, pushing him down the sidewalk. "Away from me."

He gave her a lustful glance, then jogged to rejoin his brothers. Silently they melted into the shadows and faded from sight.

Alex found most everything she needed at that single store, taking her time to peruse the isles and chat with other shoppers. She took care to not buy so much she couldn't carry the bags alone, and shortened her list by several items. The brothers- _her_ brothers, as she now thought of them- hadn't argued when she mentioned a casserole for dinner, and she made sure she definitely had everything for that.

As promised, she took a cab home, still very excited to arrive at her new apartment. She started dinner after putting away the groceries, then ran a hot bath. Donnie seriously needed to install a tub in the lair; she sorely missed taking baths when it was so cold outside.

She turned the TV on for background noise once she got out. After checking on the casserole, she dabbed some acrylic paints onto a paper plate and started a new painting. Her mind drifted as she created; wondering if the art gallery would accept her work. She alternatively worried and reassured herself about the Turtles- they were an unstoppable force together, but she couldn't keep down a maternal instinct that remained concerned.

It was just past midnight when the three brothers returned. Alex had plugged in her PS2 and was intent on her game when they came in.

"Oooh, Disgaea," Donnie said approvingly, flopping next to her and cuddling her to his chest. "What item are you leveling?"

"I finally stole a Legendary Cosmic Blade!" she said excitedly. "I'm already on level-," she pulled the main menu down, "level 78!"

"Sheesh, your Laharl is a fucking powerhouse," he said in awe as he watched the little demon sprite tear into a line of monsters.

"I've reincarnated him eleven times now," she replied proudly. "Let me exit this level and I'll get dinner on the table. You guys still hungry?"

"I'll give ya two guesses, and 'no' ain't an answer," Raphael said, sighing happily as he stretched on the other end of the couch.

"I think that's about the most unintelligent sentence you've uttered all day," Leo said, cocking an eyebrow in amusement.

Raphael shot him a bird.

"Don't worry about dinner, I'll get it," Leo offered, sauntering into the kitchen. He pulled the aluminum foil off the dish, then fetched four plates from the cupboard. Alex saved her game and shut it off, reverting the TV back to cable.

The dinner was relaxed and unhurried. Alex wanted to hear all about their patrol adventures, and they regaled her with amusing tales of the crooks and petty thieves they'd tangled with that night. Eventually the conversation died down as they settled more comfortably on the couch, dimming the lights and cuddling with their respective partners. The TV was on and no one watched it.

Though he was doing his best to hide it, Raphael was severely affected by Alex's pheromones, and at times it took all of his self-restraint to not pounce Leo right then and there on the couch. From the occasional glances he traded with Leo, Raph assumed he was feeling the same pull. Raph was beginning to seriously doubt if he could hold to his promise to do Leo's bidding; if Leo didn't make a move tonight, _he_ was. He had to, or else go insane.

Unbeknownst to him, Leo was finding his resolve melting the longer they sat together. He tried to avoid Raph's gaze; his senses were so heightened that he was afraid one lustful glance would break his willpower completely.

When soft churrs began to echo in the room, Donnie decided it was time for him and Alex to make a tactical retreat. Although he was completely supportive of his brothers, he did _not_ want to be around them in such a state. He shook his head, gathering his wits.

"Alex, why don't we head to bed?" he asked, his soft voice sounding much louder in the darkness.

She stretched lazily, smiling. "Why, Donnie, I thought you'd never ask." She could see his flush in the TV's glow. Amused, she looked over at Raphael, who shared a sly grin with her. A thought struck him, and his grin widened.

He knew _it_ was going to happen tonight. For all of them. He licked his lips, thinking rapidly as another idea popped into his head.

"Alex," Raph hissed, standing up and jabbing a thumb at the darkened kitchen. "C'mere."

Puzzled, she padded after him, and Leo and Donnie shared a confused glance.

"I've got an idea," Raphael grinned, his voice low.

Alex held her hands up, shaking her head. "I am _not_ doing a foursome."

He made a gagging face at her. "Ugh! No. No, no, no." He pointed a finger into her chest. "I do _not_ play well with others. I do _not_ share."

"Whew," Alex breathed in relief. "Neither do I."

"Listen…" He shot a glance at the two on the couch. "What about a little bet?"

"A bet?" She blinked at him. "On what?"

An evil smile spread across his face. "Whichever couple screams first, wins."

Her eyes narrowed as she turned the idea over in her mind, then grinned back at him. "No cheating."

"Turtle's honour," he said, raising his hand.

She reached over and shook it, chuckling softly. "Oh, this will be fun. What do I get if I win?"

He waved a hand dismissively. "I dunno. Whatever you want."

"So you just want to win, don't you?"

"Hell yeah."

They turned in unison, twin smiles on their faces.

Back on the couch, the two Turtles shifted uncomfortably as they waited for their partners.

"What are they talking about?" Donnie wondered, furrowing his brow as he watched Raph and Alex whisper in the kitchen.

"Whatever it is, it worries me," Leo admitted, though he smiled. "It's scary how in sync those two are sometimes."

Donnie gave him a wry grin. "They are alike, aren't they?"

"Sometimes. Have you seen them in the garage? I went to get them for supper once and they didn't even acknowledge my presence for about five minutes."

"Uh oh," Donnie interrupted. "What are they doing? Are they _betting?_"

"I have no idea," Leo sighed in exasperation.

"Are... are you going to be okay?" Donnie asked softly, tilting an eyebrow in question.

Leo patted his shoulder fondly. "Donnie, I can handle anything Raph dishes out, and then some." He mirrored Donnie's grin. "Even _that._"

Donnie shrugged back at him. "I think I've got the better end of the deal," he laughed. "Have fun."

Leo's eyes glittered as he replied, "Oh… I think we will."

Raphael and Alex walked back over, draping themselves on the shoulders of their partners.

"C'mon, Donnie." Her voice floated like silk over him, and a shiver ran down his spine. She grabbed his hands and led him into the expansive bedroom.

"What are you so pleased about?" Leo asked as Raphael sat next to him, still wearing that devilish grin.

Raph leaned forward, resting his hands on Leo's shoulders. "Because tonight, I'm not giving you a choice, Leo," he breathed softly. "I'm going to make you mine."

Leonardo shuddered under his touch, which only spurred him on.

Not much later, Raphael won their bet- but _not_ in the way he'd planned.

* * *

[Author's Note]

Here it comes! COMES! Get it? *bursts into laughter*

Last chance to hide your innocent eyes- smutty chapters are next! :D Forgive me if they take a day or two to publish; again, I'm nervous about presenting these chapters to the public so I'm going to be reading over them a lot before I actually publish them. Remember to be honest when you review!

_Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. _ MOST AWESOME SRPG GAME. EVER. I've logged over 500hrs on one save game alone... I knew Donnie would be hooked on that game! :3 I'm still searching for a Legendary-quality Cosmic Blade... Damn Alex.

ninjalover13: D'aww, but smut is where it's at! xD I grew up in a fairly religious household- the stuff I write, read and draw these days would condemn me to Hell in my family's eyes. :P Eye of the beholder an' all that. I'm sooo excited you liked the 'F you' joke. AHAHAHA that was SO fun to write!

Casey: Squee, Alex is so relieved Mikey is back to normal! They're so cute together! And yes, YAY for smut! I hope I do a good job... I'm nervous...

Saya the Sneaky and Awesome Ninja Cat: Aww, that sucks about your PSP. Yeah, it's no worries. Sometimes I just feel bad when I can't respond for a day or two. Trust me, I read EVERY review! *high-fives*

So, yeah…. I seriously LOVED that episode, SAINW. I had to watch it on youtube with very, very crappy resolution and it still blew me away. Reminds me of my favourite episode, 'Night of the Dark Turtle' from Season7. I love that SAINW shared the theme that Don is VITAL to the group, or else they fall apart. Damn straight. *snorts* Who comes up with the plans? Who figures out the best strategies? Who fixes everything? That's right; DONATELLO! Leo the 'Fearless Leader', my ass. Donnie keeps them going, literally and figuratively. *explodes with Donnie pride*


	37. All or Nothing  Leo & Raph

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SO MUCH TURTLECEST IT WILL MAKE YOUR BRAIN EXPLODE INTO CANDY.**

***Mmm, candy.***

Chapter Thirty-Six

_All Or Nothing – Leo & Raph_

Cheesy as he thought the idea was, Leonardo could swear he felt time slow as Raphael reached for him. Already supersensitive to their surroundings, when Raph put his hands on his shoulders he could feel every ripple in the pads of his calloused hands. The warmth of Raphael's palms contrasted with the slightly chilled air, and the dual temperatures made him shudder. He greedily wanted those rough hands touching him everywhere at the same time.

Leo took a deep breath to calm his racing mind. Whenever he felt a rush of emotions his first instinct was to quell them, to label them and place them in the proper box to be pondered at a later time. With a single glance, Raphael could ignite passion he'd never felt for anything or anyone, and his resolve would slam into place.

Leonardo was afraid to feel so much in such a short span of time. But even as he was fearful, he knew the only person he could ever trust with such a journey would be Raphael. Raphael lived in the moment; his loyal and ferocious heart led his every action.

"Leo?" Raph said quietly, fearfully, studying his partner. Every time they got this far, that accursed Fearless Leader facade would settle into place. What had Don said? Defense mechanism.

Raphael's eyes narrowed in determination. Tonight he was going to break through Leo's stupid wall. It was annoying, selfish, and just damn _unhealthy._

"I'm here," Leo replied softly.

"Is it you?" Raphael pulled him closer, eyes darting back and forth between Leo's. "Or are you withdrawin' from me again?"

He waited patiently as he watched a confusing mix of emotions cross Leo's face. As much as he wanted this to happen, wanted to claim Leonardo as his mate and he as his, Raphael wasn't going to force him.

It was all or nothing.

Leonardo stared at him, something in his liquid chocolate eyes shifting, as if he were seeing Raphael for the first time. "I'm scared," he whispered.

Raphael snorted. "What, ya think I ain't?"

Leo blinked owlishly at him. "Why are _you_ scared?"

Raph shrugged in embarrassment. "It's the 'what ifs'. What if I hurt ya? What if ya hurt me? What if ya don't like what I do- what _we_ do together? What if ya wake up in the morning and tell me it's over?" He shook his head, smiling. "There's a million things that could go wrong. But yer worth the chance. I meant what I said, Leo- I'll fight for you. Whether it's a bigass fugly monster; Master Splinter's acceptance; or my own subconscious." He placed his hand gently on Leo's face. "Why are you scared?"

"I- I don't want this to ch- change us," Leo stuttered, sounding desperate. "I don't want this to change our bond."

"But it will, Leo. Hell, it already has." Raphael frowned as Leo's fear flashed in his eyes, and leaned forward to rub his face against his. "It's changed for the _better_. Don'cha think so?"

Leonardo relaxed visibly, relief flooding his body. "You're right, of course. I just don't want this to go away."

"Then we'll make sure it don't," Raphael breathed against his cheek.

"I'm not used to expressing myself in such a manner," Leo whispered, tilting his head down to nip at the skin on Raph's neck. "So you can't hold me responsible for my forthcoming actions."

"Sure I will," Raph panted, surprised at the soft bites. "Yer the leader, after all."

"Raphael," Leo murmured between his nibbling, "tell me one last time. You're certain I am who you want?"

In spite of the heat of his desire overwhelming his senses, Raphael had to pause to roll his eyes in frustration. "Leo. I mean this in a completely playful an' fun way, but if ya don't make a move soon, _I'm going to rape you._"

It felt as if the floodgates of Leo's heart opened, filling him to overflow, anxious to be shared. With an impressive growl, Leo shoved Raphael backwards onto the couch and climbed atop him in one swift move. Astonished, Raphael let his shell sink into the cushions as he watched Leo's hypnotic eyes dance above his.

It _was_ going to happen. That wall was gone- for good, Raph hoped.

Now to set about winning his wager. He was going to make Leo beg and scream his name!

But Leonardo had other ideas. Raphael was the key to his passion, and he wanted to channel that passion into his partner. He allowed his obsessive lust to cloud his judgment as he crushed Raph beneath him, roughly pressing his mouth to his. He bit Raphael's lower lip urgently, demanding access to his tongue. Raph gasped, opening his mouth willingly and wrapping his tongue around Leo's. Their noses were pushed painfully together, and they dragged in a breath when they could between exploring the other's mouth.

Raphael felt Leo's nails digging into his arms and gave the first moan of the night, mixing with their rising churrs. Leo's tongue, his hands, his weight… It was almost sensory overload and they hadn't even gotten _started_ yet.

Leo lowered his chest to touch his, feeling their vibrations echo against each other. A shiver of pleasure ran down his spine to the tip of his tail when Raphael moaned, and he raked his nails down Raph's arm, earning a second one.

"A bit of pain to add to the pleasure?" Leo hissed as he finally broke their kiss.

"Apparently," Raphael gasped. He reached around Leo's shoulders, clawing at his shell to pull him back down for more. Leo allowed him, but turned and buried his face against Raph's shoulder instead of his mouth; he nuzzled Raph's collarbone for a second before dragging his teeth across the skin.

Involuntarily Raphael's hips bucked against his brother's, groaning lustily as pleasure bolted through his body. "_Fuck,_ no wonder you like that so much!"

"Mm-hm," Leo mumbled. He lifted his lips briefly, breathing gently on the wet skin and enjoying the wanton sighs and churrs escaping his partner. He felt Raphael reach up and untie his bandana, and he shook his head, letting it fall to the floor.

"No masks," Raphael whispered. "No hiding. I want to see the real you."

Leo pushed on Raph's shoulders, raising his upper body and granting him a tender smile. He shifted his weight to one hand, his other snaking underneath Raph's head to tug at his bandana as well. He loosened it, then bent forward and clenched it in his teeth. Raph's eyes were wide as Leo gave a soft growl, snapping the red mask from his brother's face and spitting it on the ground to rest beside his.

Raphael used the brief silent moment to link his arms around Leo's neck, pulling him down for another savage kiss. A frisson of pleasure crawled over his skin as his hands then wandered down Leo's sides, stopping frequently to hook and mold into the small grooves and ridges of his plastron. He felt Leo sinking his weight on top of him again and his fingers tugged roughly, melding into his chest.

"Raph," Leo rasped, pulling his head back once more, "tell me what you want."

"You," he whispered. "You doin' whatever you want to me."

Leonardo took a few heavy breaths, considering his partner. "I want you to feel the pleasure you've given me."

Raphael chuckled softly. "Whaddya mean? We haven't really done anythin' yet."

"I'll change that," Leo breathed huskily. He grabbed one of the decorative pillows nearby and tucked it under Raph's head, who gave him a puzzled look.

Raphael licked his dry lips as he watched Leo's head fall against his chest. His head was tilted now, and he could clearly see Leo's expression. Slowly, too slowly, Leo began sliding down his body, planting hungry kisses down his plastron. Raphael winced as Leo rested his chest between his legs, and he wriggled under him.

"_Leo,_" he nearly whined. "I'm _really _uncomfortable now." He gestured past Leo's head, toward his thighs.

"Mmkay," Leo murmured, immediately shifting his weight toward the back of the couch. Resting an elbow beside Raph's thigh, he brought his other hand up, caressing the insistent bulge that was now level with his face.

_It was really going to happen._

Guessing what he intended to do, Raphael's hands rested on Leo's head, cradling and stroking it gently. He groaned in relief and desire as Leo's fingers twisted under his plastron, slowly teasing his hidden cock from under his carapace.

Raphael's gaze locked onto Leo's; alternatively puzzled at his brother's hesitation and wanting to shout and beg him to suck him off. The cold air was _not_ pleasant, and he felt exposed and slightly embarrassed. Leo sat there, curled by his legs, his dark eyes filled with emotion. The tension built and hung in the air, as suffocating as humidity.

A frown marred Raphael's face as he heard Leo whisper something he couldn't decipher. Surely he wouldn't back down now, not when-

Leonardo darted forward, his soft lips closing around the head of his shaft, and Raphael won his bet.

"_LEO! F-fuuuck!_" he screamed, writhing as Leo's tongue wrapped lasciviously around his cock. Nothing had _ever_ felt so good in his entire life.

Leo bent his head further, drawing another inch into his mouth before slowly raising his head, sucking hard as the cock slipped past his tongue. He let it completely leave his mouth, fascinated by the pre-cum and saliva glistening on the skin.

"You don't have to yell," he admonished lightly, giving Raph a pleased smile.

"Fuck… you," Raphael panted, pointing at him for emphasis. "Ya don't know… what that feels… like yet."

"Poor choice of words, Raphael," Leo whispered, his eyes glowing with desire.

"Or the right one?" Raph laughed. His hands pushed down on Leo's head urgently. "C'mon. You wanna talk or fuck?"

"Both?" Leo chuckled, bending his head and licking the underside of his cock teasingly before taking the head in his mouth again.

"F-fine," Raph gasped, his nails chafing Leo's skin. "I'll talk, you fuck." He groaned loudly as Leonardo chuckled again, the sound vibrating against his cock deliciously.

Leo placed one strong hand on Raph's chest, leaning his weight on it as he moved to a kneeling position between his legs. Concerned he wouldn't be able to take his brother's entire shaft into his throat, he wrapped his fingers below his mouth, gently tightening them. He began an agonizingly slow rhythm, moving up and down Raph's hard cock as his other hand kept him pinned down on the couch. His tongue eagerly laved Raphael's cock, loving how he tasted.

Raphael made a valiant effort to not thrust into Leo's warm, wet mouth; but as Leo's tongue brushed over a particularly sensitive spot just below his head, his hips bucked urgently. Leonardo gasped, gagging as he swallowed most of him. Not wanting to break his pace, Leo didn't jerk his head away; just curled his tongue around the shaft as he pulled it slowly out of his mouth.

"I- I'm sorry," Raphael moaned.

"I'm fine," Leo said wryly, his eyes crinkling in a smile.

"Good," Raph breathed softly. "Cause watchin' you choke on my cock is the sexiest thing I've never imagined."

Taking that as a challenge, Leo's head ducked again, closing his eyes as he relaxed his throat to take in as much as possible. Instead of resuming sliding Raph's cock in and out of his mouth, he kept still; gently closing his lips around him and sucking rhythmically. He choked softly each time he attempted to take more in.

"Leo! Leo... _Leoleoleo,_" Raphael moaned his name over and over.

The unadulterated lust in his voice sent shivers down Leo's spine once more, and he got an idea. He released his grip on Raph's cock, taking a moment to stroke his inner thigh before coming to rest at the slit by his tail. He felt Raph's body tense as his finger nudged his ass playfully.

"Th- that's unfair," Raphael whimpered.

Reluctantly, Leo pulled Raph's cock out of his mouth so he could respond. "No it's not. You're going to need the preparation."

Raphael's eyes widened as Leo put the finger in his mouth, licking it suggestively before replacing it above his tail. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Leo's hooded ones as he felt the finger apply pressure, then slip inside him gently.

"Oh, fuck," Raphael groaned, raising his ass to meet Leo's hand.

"That's the idea."

"Hey," Raph said sharply. "_I _talk. What's your job?"

Leo's tongue swirled around the head of his cock, their eyes still locked. "You tell me," he said seductively.

"Fuckfuckfuckme," Raphael muttered shamelessly, struggling under Leo's hand that still held him down. He churred loudly as he felt Leo's finger stretching him.

"Not yet," Leo whispered. He tilted his head again, more confident this time as he sucked and pulled Raphael's cock into his throat. As he thrust his finger into Raph's ass, he snuck a second one in, parting them slowly to stretch him further.

"I can't last much longer," Raphael warned through gritted teeth.

Leonardo glanced up, his lips curling in a smile. "If I were evil…"

Raphael shuddered as every syllable vibrated against his throbbing erection. "Which I hope ya ain't…"

Leo gently shook his head 'no', bending to resume his ministrations.

Raphael felt like his skin had caught fire. Dizzily he watched Leo's head bobbing back and forth, suckling his cock hard as his fingers dove again and again into his ass. Tension centered in his stomach and spread outward, numbing his limbs even as he gripped Leo's head intently.

"_Leo,_" he breathed again in warning. His knees rubbed against Leo's shoulders, his toes curling as he tensed, sensation building upon sensation.

His tongue. His breath. His hand. His fingers. His eyes.

Those beautiful chocolate brown eyes, begging him to cum.

Unable to think clearly, Raphael roared a string of incoherent words as he came. He arched his back, choking Leo in earnest, pumping his seed down Leo's throat as he trembled violently. He moved a hand from Leo's head to grip the back of the couch for stability.

Leonardo pulled his head back, eagerly lapping the sides of Raphael's cock, causing him to shudder at each touch. He slowly withdrew his fingers, looking up to meet Raphael's fiery golden eyes. He licked his fingers as well, giving him a devilish smile.

"Leo…" Raphael moaned, collapsing back against the pillow.

"Is that all you can say?" Leo teased.

"Righ' now… yeah," he panted back.

Leo chuckled, then crawled up his body, resting his head beside Raph's.

"Yer not done, are ya?" Raphael asked, sounding upset.

"No." Leo bit down on Raph's collarbone for emphasis, who yelped in delight. "I just want to catch my breath."

"Yer tellin' me," Raphael mumbled. He wrapped his arms around Leo's neck, holding him close. "I- I've _got_ to do that for you."

"Later," Leo murmured, trailing kisses up his neck.

"Later _tonight?_" Raphael asked eagerly.

"If you wish."

"Hell yeah I wish." He lightly rapped a knuckle on the back of Leo's head. "I want to please you too, y'know." His hand slid between them, impatiently reaching under Leo's plastron to tug on his erection. He felt Leo's breath hitch. "C'mon. What's your job?"

Leo turned his head, whispering softly against Raph's ear. "To fuck you."

"Damn straight," Raphael muttered. He wrapped his fingers around Leo's cock once he coaxed it free.

"I'll be gentle," Leo said, his voice still a whisper.

"Forget being gentle," Raph said, slowly sliding his hand up his cock. _Damn,_ he was hard and ready. Not a surprise, though.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Leo replied, his voice stern.

Raphael grabbed Leo's hand, dragging his nails roughly across his neck as a reminder. "Don't make me beg."

"What if I want you to?" Leo smirked, relaxing.

Raph winked at him. "Actually… if you'll give me head every night, I'll wear a pink tutu and sing in front of Mikey."

They burst into laughter, clinging to each other as they shook with their mirth.

"So…" Raphael drawled finally, moving his hips against Leo's cock, "I'll beg. Please?"

"That's it?" Leo frowned as he licked his fingers again before inserting them in Raphael's ass. "That's pathetic."

"Oh gods, Leonardo," Raphael moaned, bucking his hips against his hand again. "Please, claim me. Make me yours."

"That's better," Leo said silkily. "Now, do you want to get me wet enough to enter you?"

Wordlessly Raphael nodded, pushing Leo back and sitting up with him. Excitedly he brought his legs around, kneeling by Leo's erection. Almost shyly, he leaned forward and rubbed his face against it, breathing in Leo's musky scent.

"Raph," Leo groaned, "I've run out of most of my patience by now."

"Oh, I see how it is. You can tease me, but I can't tease you?" Raphael asked, grinning up at him.

"Raphael," he growled, his hands gripping Raph's head, trying to pull him forward.

Raphael kept his eyes locked on Leo's a second longer. "Beg _me,_ then."

Leo took a steadying breath, dropping his hands to rest on Raph's shoulders. "I can't claim you if you don't help me."

"_'That's pathetic'_," Raphael mimicked. He licked his lips invitingly, leaning close enough to breathe on Leo's cock.

Leonardo shivered, his voice soft in the darkness. "Raphael, please. I want to take you."

"_Claim _me," Raphael corrected.

"I want to _claim_ you," Leo whispered hoarsely. "Please."

"So do I," Raphael replied huskily. He kissed the head of Leo's cock, smiling when Leo gasped and dug his fingernails into his shoulders. Gently he wrapped his lips around Leo's cock, thrilled to hear Leo's voice strain with passion. He licked all around the head, reveling in the exhilarating taste and texture.

"Raph," Leo panted, "Raph, if you keep that up, I'm not going to be able to _claim_ you for a while."

"Fine," Raphael scoffed, tilting his head to trail his wet tongue up and down. "Better?"

"Somewhat," Leo breathed harshly. "Sit back." His hands pushed on his shoulders roughly.

"Like this?" Raphael asked, leaning his shell into the back of the couch.

"Perfect," Leo said, his voice dripping with lust. He reached down and spread Raphael's thighs before settling between them.

"D-don't you want me to, uh, bend over or somethin'?" Raphael asked, confused.

Leo shook his head as he rubbed his erection against Raphael's stomach. "Sometime, yes. Tonight, no." He leaned forward to give him a quick gentle kiss. "I want to see your face."

Raphael nodded once, then scowled playfully at him. "Too much talk, too little fuck."

Leo placed himself at Raphael's entry, hesitating until Raphael moaned and pushed against him. Gingerly Leo pushed back, the head of his cock slipping inside.

"_Shit,_" Raphael breathed heavily, his widened eyes peering up at Leo's. "That'll set you on fire."

Leo couldn't help but chuckle. "You okay?"

"Yesss," Raphael hissed. "More."

Leonardo leaned against his chest, inching his way into his ass. Raphael moaned and writhed underneath him, but refused to let him slow down. After several moments, Leo was fully buried in his brother, and he rested his head on Raph's shoulder.

"Fucking hell," Raphael gasped. "Ya gotta let me do this too. Hurts like a bitch at first, though."

A groan of pure lust was ripped from Leo as he tentatively moved once against Raph. "Gods, Raph, you have n-no idea…"

"Bite me," Raphael pleaded, turning his head to expose his neck. "C'mon. _Hard._"

"Freak," Leo managed to mutter before diving for his throat. He licked, then nibbled his skin before biting down on a cord of muscles.

"Yeah, whateva, you pr- _fuck yes_, just like that," Raphael sighed happily. He moved his hips, causing Leo to pant and moan against him. "Fuck me, Fearless Leader."

His willpower lost in his desire, Leonardo thrust again, and they both trilled and churred at the sensation.

"What… are you, an… an old man?" Raphael growled unsteadily. "Faster, dammit."

"Nice mental image," Leo laughed, biting his way down to Raphael's shoulder as he complied.

"It worked," Raphael muttered. He gasped for breath, shifting slightly under Leo's thrusting. "R- right there," he begged.

"Here?" Leo shoved his cock roughly into him.

"Yes," Raphael groaned.

"Here?" He thrust again.

"Yes!" Raphael nearly shrieked, clinging to Leo, swaying with the now violent thrusting.

"Raph, I'm-," Leo halted, leaning back to stare at him. "I'm close."

Raphael frowned at the unspoken question in his eyes. "What, you think I want you to stop? I do! _Stop talkin'!_"

"So should you," Leo snapped. He gripped Raphael's face, ramming his tongue into his mouth as he frantically bucked his hips into Raph's. Seconds later, he thrust deeply once, his cries of ecstasy muffled against Raphael's mouth.

Raphael wrapped his limbs around Leo, holding him as closely as possible as Leo shuddered through his climax. He massaged Leo's tongue with his own as the elder's struggles calmed, then ceased.

Leo collapsed against Raph, feeling like gravity was suddenly twice what it should be. They breathed as one, and Leo closed his eyes, listening to Raph's erratic heartbeat slow.

"Why haven't we done this before?" Leo asked when he felt he could talk.

"Cause we're stupid?"

"I'll buy that."

They shared a tired chuckle.

"Hey, Leo…"

"What?"

Raphael tilted his head to kiss his brow. "What did ya say earlier? Before ya went down on me."

Leo smiled, cuddling into his chest. "I said you've always been mine."

"And always will be," Raphael whispered back.

It took less than a minute for them to fall asleep.

* * *

[Author's Note]

RAPHAEL IN A PINK TUTU

OMG


	38. Go Crazy Don & Alex

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

_Go Crazy – Don & Alex_

Donnie had just softly closed the door when Alex tensed, reaching for the knob.

"Lexi?" he asked, puzzled, grabbing her wrist to make her pause.

"I forgot to give them a blanket," she said anxiously. "They're gonna freeze out there."

He pulled her into his arms, shaking his head. "Precious, give them some time. They need it."

"I'd just be a min-,"

He locked his gaze with hers, an amused smile on his face. "Lexi. Really. They need space."

"But-,"

He rolled his eyes. "Trust me."

"Oh fine. But I'm gonna give them one before we go to sleep." She pouted at him, and his heart flopped over.

"Just how long do you plan on being up?" he whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead softly.

"However long you want," she replied slyly. "C'mere." She took his hands in hers again.

The bedroom was spacious and truly lovely. Beyond her tasteful choices in art adorning the walls, she had directed them to arrange the room in a very pleasing, open manner. The large room accommodated quite a few pieces of furniture, but it didn't appear crowded. The bed was the focal point of the room, a soft full-sized one displayed proudly in front of the twin windows. Japanese patterns in muted colours adorned the bedcover. It was here she led him, gently sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the windows.

He leaned against her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as he sighed contentedly.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, her voice hushed.

"Heart-wrenchingly," he whispered back. "I never tire of seeing the city lights."

They sat silently for a few moments, wrapped in their thoughts. Donnie was reluctant to ruin the moment, but he was finding his mind more and more distracted as he sat with her. Finally he shifted uncomfortably, and she looked up at him.

"Donnie?" she asked softly.

"Mm?"

"We don't have to do anything tonight." She kissed his jaw gently, shyly. "I mean, I know Raph and-," She paused, giving him a sheepish grin.

"You what?" he asked curiously, smiling at her. "Just what devious little plan did you two think up?"

"It was his idea!"

"And this idea was…?"

She blushed, tilting her head away from his, but he reached over to bring her gaze back. "We bet on which of us couples would scream first."

Donatello leaned his head back, laughing. "Are you serious?"

She chuckled with him. "Of course."

"Sounds like something he would think of," Donnie said dryly.

"Donnie?" she asked again.

He raised his brows in question.

"I- I know I said I'd tease you, but I'm not going to manipulate you," she said, a note of desperation in her voice. "I mean, I love to tease, but please don't read more into it. Unless you want to."

He flushed slightly. "Is that your roundabout way of asking my permission?"

"Maybe?" She smiled, tearing her eyes from his to look over the city. "Donnie, you're not the only one who's cautious about this. I know we're attracted to one another but… I've done things, Donnie. Things I'm not proud of."

"Haven't we all?" He leaned in, breathing in her hair's scent. "I'm assuming you're referencing something sexual."

She shrugged softly, still gazing out the window. "I've cheated on a guy I was dating. Once. I never would do that again, even if I was with an asshole like Chuck, but…" He saw her green eyes darken. "Knowing that I have that potential is difficult to live with. And if you want to- to be with me, you should know about it."

A moment of silence.

"We all have that potential," Donnie said finally. "Like I told you, we make choices every day."

"I'll regret that choice until the day I die," she said miserably. "I feel like it will tarnish every experience I have."

"Only if you let it." Boldly he reached up to suggestively stroke her neck. "Only if _we_ let it."

"Donnie, I…" Her voice trailed off as she turned, burying her face against his chest as she linked her arms around his neck. "I would never hurt you. I've done it before to someone else. I freely admit that. But I'd rather step in front of a bus than hurt you. Or your family."

"Precious, it's okay," he soothed, slightly alarmed at her sadness. "Lexi, I trust you. And we build layers of trust with every experience we share." He nuzzled her head with his nose. "Thank you for telling me. But I'm not worried." He chuckled as a thought struck him. "Besides, if you did, Raph would kill you."

She leaned back, giving him a genuine smile. "He and Mikey are the brothers I never got to have. Mikey the goofball. Raphael the running buddy."

"Aww, no Leo love?"

She nodded. "Leo is… special. A mentor. A close friend. He is wise beyond his years, living in a lofty place I can't quite reach. I don't feel that _brotherly_ bond with him like I do the others, but he's just as important to me." She kissed along Donnie's face. "And you…"

"I think we've passed the point of just friends," he whispered, grinning.

"Definitely." She breathed on the small patches of wet skin, and he shivered.

"So, any other d-dark secrets to sh- share?" he stuttered, his breath hitching as she kissed his jawline again. He saw her flush more deeply in the glow from the window.

"You've been very honest with me, so I'll be the same," she said tentatively. "I've had one complaint from the guys I've been with." She looked up at him. "Which is three, by the way."

"Okay," he laughed softly. "What could they possibly complain about?"

"I'm apparently not adventurous enough," she said dryly.

"Excuse me?" He tilted his head at her.

Her blush deepened further. "I- I know what I like and want what I like. I mean, I'll try anything once out of curiosity, but given a choice I just… want the same thing."

Intrigued, he leaned closer. "And what is that?"

She made a helpless gesture. "I- I like missionary. A _lot_. It fits with the whole being forced to submit idea."

His eyes burned into hers as he rapidly processed what she'd said. "Forced?" he finally asked, licking his lips.

"Y- yeah," she replied, watching his tongue in fascination. "But I've almost always had to be the dominant one." She frowned as some of her shyness melted. "Y'know; be on top, or tell him what to do, or even initiate sex." She sighed. "I like that sometimes- who doesn't?- but I don't want to have to constantly be the one in charge. I _love_ to tease, but only to get my partner so riled he has no choice but to attack me." Her eyes flickered to the window, then back to his. "That's why I said you don't have to read too much into my teasing. It's natural to me, but I'm not trying to force a decision on you."

His eyes narrowed as he smiled. "Very interesting." He took another breath, then asked, "You like being told what to do?"

She nodded, her blush returning. "It's an odd idea, but I actually feel more in control when I'm submissive."

"Explain."

"Well… Sure, I'm being told what to do, how to do it..." Her face broke into a grin. "But only I have the _power_ to please my partner. I like being that tool of pleasure."

Donatello shuddered involuntarily. "That's a powerful mental image."

She ran a hand up his arm, the touch light and fleeting. "Like I said before, I don't always want to be submissive. But I really, really like it." She brushed her nails softly over his shoulder, and he jerked slightly. "Is the idea appealing to you? Whether it's tonight or-,"

"_LEO! F-fuuuck!_"

They froze, blinking at each other as they heard the shout. A few seconds later, Alex groaned, frowning.

"I guess you lost your bet," Donnie said dryly. "I wouldn't've guessed him as a screamer."

She dissolved into giggles, resting her head on his shoulder as he chuckled with her.

"What did he want?" Donnie asked.

She held back a laugh as she replied, "To win."

"Ha! That he did."

"Jerk," she muttered. "I'm sure he'll come up with something, though. He told me I could have whatever I wanted if I won… I bet he'll turn that against me."

"Ouch. Good luck with that," Donnie said, giving her a wry grin. "He's quite evil when he wants to be."

"So I've gathered."

Donatello cleared his throat as softer, desperate murmurs drifted from the living room. "_Anyway._ Yes." He lowered his head as his eyes locked onto hers. "That idea is very appealing."

"Really?" she asked, her wide eyes hopeful.

"Precious, doing _anything _with you is a joy. I don't care what it is." His throat felt dry at what his racing mind was contemplating, but managed to collect his wits enough to add, "I like being in control. You know that."

"Yes," she replied softly, pressing her fingernails into his shoulder again. "You're so sweet and thoughtful, but I've wondered if you had a desire for something… _rougher_ in you."

Flashes of his earliest sexual fantasies crossed his mind; of pinning and tying him down in a whirl of red and violet and-

He shook his head violently to clear it, and she frowned up at him. "S- sorry," he stuttered. "But yes. Very true. I- I've thought of th- that scenario many times."

"What scenario?"

"I don't want to think about it," he said harshly, and she recoiled. He then sighed, stroking her hair. "Forgive my tone. I- I have memories of daydreams I used to have, and as I didn't know you then, they obviously weren't of you. I just don't want to think about them anymore." He gently pulled her into a hug. "I have you now."

"Ohh," she said slowly. She pushed his embrace away, frowning. "I didn't get in the way of anything, did I?"

"Of course not," he reassured her. "In fact… In fact…" His voice trailed off, his eyes unfocused. She snapped her fingers by his nose, and he jumped. "In fact, if you weren't here, I'd be fairly heartbroken right now."

Her eyes darted toward the bedroom door before she pointed to it. "You had a crush on one of them?"

He nodded slowly, his body tense with anxiety.

"Oh! Lemme guess-," she grinned, but he interrupted her.

"Raphael."

"Dammit, I was gonna guess." She grinned at him slyly. "Good choice."

He choked back a nervous laugh. "I had figured the possibility of finding a human mate was nigh impossible, so I had turned to my brothers… But I assure you, my affections are only for you."

"I know that," she scoffed. "And besides, Raph and I already agreed, no foursome."

Donnie chuckled, which built into a roaring laughter. She laughed with him, relieved his pinched expression had faded.

"So, Donnie…" she drawled once they had quieted, "You know I like being subservient. So you tell me. What do you want from me tonight?" She drew a line down his arm with her nails, eliciting a soft gasp from him. "Should we settle down to sleep? Should we explore each other…" She ran a finger down the edge of his plastron. "And see where it leads?"

"You know my curiosity is never satisfied," he murmured, sliding a hand down her arm as she had his. "I'm worried about my inexperience, though."

"That's nothing to worry about," she replied, her voice low. "Do what you want. I'll tell you if I don't like it. Otherwise… Go crazy on me."

"Crazy _with_ you," he whispered.

"Just as long as you go crazy," she whispered back.

He hesitated, his hands on her arms, struggling with what his body was screaming at him to do, and his mind begging him to think it through. He tilted his head as he remembered something.

Raphael had told him to not give himself the chance to overthink anything. Good advice.

"If- if I ask to stop, would you mind?" Donnie asked.

"Of course not," she nodded. "You'll do the same for me, right?"

He mimicked her nod. "And you're certain you don't mind if I'm not- not human?"

"Frankly, that makes it all the harder to resist you," she smiled at him, her eyes narrowing with passion.

Lexi was patient and considerate. And most importantly, willing. A safety net was in place; they would stop if either were uncomfortable. His mind and body were finally in agreement.

Alex's eyes widened as she heard a deep rumble in the back of his throat.

"Run," he rasped, his body tensing as his eyes narrowed to slits.

"Run?" she asked, puzzled.

His hand shot out, tangling in her hair and tugging on it slightly, making her gasp in pleasure. "Do what you're told. Now run."

Emerald eyes flashed as she pulled her hair out of his grasp. Giving him a sly grin, she scrambled backwards on the bed, away from him. He closed the distance in a single bound, and she fell off the edge, catching herself lightly with her hands and feet.

The bare lust shining in his dark eyes made her shiver.

Squealing with delight, she pushed herself to her feet, running to the other side of the room. He chased after her lazily, trying to corner her, but she ducked under his reach and raced toward the bedroom door. He stalked her then, low to the ground, his predatory growl resounding in the room.

She hesitated, rocking back and forth as she took another step back. Her hands grasped her robe hanging on the door behind her, and she tugged it off the hook.

She waited.

Donnie's eyes narrowed as he crept closer.

Just as he was reaching for her again, she threw the robe over his head and skittered away, laughing.

"_Argh,_" he muttered, ripping it from his face as he turned to find her. "You'll pay for that."

"Only if you catch me," she taunted, crawling on all fours on the bed, swaying as she tried to decide which direction to go next.

He pulled the belt from the robe before he let it fall to the ground. Her eyes widened when he doubled it in his hands, shortening its length and snapping it once playfully. His growl mixed with his churring as he dashed toward the bed.

She shrieked again, diving off the other side and running in earnest this time. Hot on her heels, he chased her in three full circles around the room, gripping her shirt and pants, then letting her go to catch her again. He watched her hips sway and wiggle as she ran, and he kept reaching for her waist, desperate to wrap his hands on those curves.

Finally he hooked one of her wrists with the belt, and he tugged harshly on it, forcing her to stop. He crashed into her, his momentum toppling them onto the bed. Quickly he brought her other hand behind her back, tying her wrists together with an effective but loose knot. Then he rolled her over.

She panted up at him, unable to resist grinning. "Th- that's not fair. You're a ninja."

"You'll get better with practice," he whispered. "_Lots_ of practice."

She tilted her head upwards, her eyes dark with promise. "You caught me. What do you want… master?"

A shock of pleasure ran through his body. Now that was something he'd not thought of.

"Say that again," he said urgently, bending over her as he pushed her shoulders into the mattress.

She licked her lips, a mock nervous gesture. "What are you going to do with me, _master?_"

"Whatever I want," he hissed. He lowered his head, kissing her cheek before pressing his mouth to hers. She parted her lips, moaning as his tongue slid across the roof of her mouth. She licked and sucked on his tongue, arching her back to press her chest into his. He groaned as he felt the gentle pressure of her breasts rub against him.

They both gasped when he finally broke the kiss, breathing raggedly. She whimpered softly as they lost body contact. "M- master, I want to touch you."

"Not yet," he breathed softly. "I get to explore you first." He leaned back down, nuzzling her neck and shoulder before his tongue darted out to taste her skin. She moaned again as his hands danced down her sides, his fingers occasionally applying pressure before trailing onward.

"I'm going to undress you," he said huskily, then frowned. He dropped his aggressive stance momentarily as he asked, "What do you want me to call you?"

She shrugged. "You're the boss."

"What turns you on, then?"

She flushed slightly. "I- I love it when you call me precious."

His eyes softened as he smiled down at her. "You are. You are so very precious." He churred loudly, gripping her tank top. "I'm not untying you yet… So, are you overly fond of this shirt?"

"Uhh." She blinked at him. "Not really?"

He leaned forward more to clench the shirt in his teeth; biting, then _ripping_ it, a tear forming down the centre. She panted harshly as she watched him with wide eyes.

He teased the tear all the way to the bottom of the shirt, finally laying it open. His breath hitched in his throat as she moved her bare chest away from the bed, arching toward him in the chilled air.

Fuck the city lights. _She_ was beautiful.

His greedy hands slid up her waist before cupping her breasts. He was rewarded with another, louder moan as he massaged them gently. Moving his legs to straddle her hips, he leaned down and took one rosy nipple in his mouth tentatively.

"Oh m- master," she moaned, struggling playfully against the makeshift rope, the feeling of restraint heightening her pleasure. "_Please _keep doing that."

As much as he wanted to comply, Donatello found himself enjoying their game far more. Reluctantly he lifted his head, his breath hot on her skin. "You'll have to earn it."

"Tell me, show me how," she panted, writhing underneath him.

"Lift your hips," he grunted, tugging on her pants urgently. He slid them down her legs, feeling another dizzying wave of pleasure as drank in the sight of the rest of her creamy skin. A part of his analytical brain noted she wasn't shaved, just trimmed. He liked how she looked.

"You're gorgeous," he whispered, running his hands lightly down the front of her body, momentarily lost in his wonder.

She smiled shyly, turning her head.

"Hey," he said sharply, and her eyes snapped back to his. "Keep looking at me."

"Yes, master," she said demurely.

He kept sliding his hands over her body, his eyes boring into hers as gripped her waist, teased her ribs and kneaded her breasts tenderly. She moaned and bucked under his touch but didn't dare look away, even as her face flushed with embarrassment.

He brought one of his hands to rest on one of her thighs. Slowly, gingerly, he stroked the inside with his thumb, creeping upwards in a tantalizing dance. She struggled in earnest then, trying to push herself closer to his waiting hand but he kept it out of reach. He grinned as an idea came to him.

"You haven't earned that either, my _pet_," he said lasciviously.

She shivered, her hooded eyes liquid with want. "Let me, master. I'll do anything."

"Of course you will, pet," he whispered, drawing his hand away and reaching up to tangle his fingers in her hair. She closed her eyes, smiling; then gasped as he pulled roughly. He used his other hand slide under her body to finally free hers, grabbing one of them and guiding it to the lower part of his carapace. Her hand stroked the bulge there, and he showed her how to free it.

He saw something flash in her eyes, and he felt his heart sink. "What is it, precious?"

She looked back at him, her brow furrowed slightly. "You're... ah…"

Disappointing? Unattractive? Weird? His mind raced; he wasn't very different from a normal human-

"Huge," she nearly grimaced, and he couldn't help but chuckle in relief. "Please be gentle?"

"I wouldn't be anything but," he assured her, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing the palm. "Remember, you only have to tell me to stop and I will." His dark eyes searched hers for permission to continue, and she nodded eagerly.

"Then, pet, you should earn some pleasure by giving me mine," he growled, pulling on her hair again. She sat up, her hands impatiently feeling over his chest and stomach but he gripped her wrists, turning them with a slight twist of pain.

"You do not touch me until I tell you," he hissed, grinning devilishly at her. "Understood?"

"Yes, master." She eyed his cock greedily, desperately wanting to touch him, to feel him. Her hands were frozen in midair, torn between lust and obeying his command.

He watched the struggle on her face, a gentle smile curving his lips. She had seen all of him, and still wanted him- frantically, apparently. He had nearly as much pleasure watching her _not_ touch him as when he finally let her.

He guided her hands once more, letting them wrap around his cock. "Pleasure me," he demanded hoarsely.

Having only ever experienced his own hands on himself, he reveled in the strange sensation of hers. It was a foreign feeling, yet familiar. And quite pleasant.

He watched her head begin to lean in, and he put a hand on her forehead. "Not yet," he said, gritting his teeth. It killed him to say that.

"But-," she whined, looking up at him with shining green eyes.

"No, pet," he growled, pulling her hair for emphasis. He was so sensitive, so _ready_ from their playing he knew he wouldn't last if she went down on him now.

She contented herself with stroking him, her delicate fingers twisting and pulling on him, watching his cock weep with pre-cum. She licked her lips, wondering what he'd do if she disobeyed. She shot him a daring glance, but his eyes were closed in pleasure. Quickly she darted forward, her tongue lapping at the head, licking his juices clean.

His eyes shot open, a lustful moan escaping his throat even as he frowned at her. Roughly he shoved her back onto the bed, grabbing the discarded belt and re-tying her hands above her head.

"_Bad pet,_" he growled softly, and she shuddered deliciously as he rolled her over, her nose pressing into the comforter. She breathed through her mouth, her heartbeat quickening as she waited for her punishment.

She didn't have to wait long.

Donatello flattened his palm, hesitating only seconds before bringing it down, smacking her ass hard enough to leave a red imprint.

"Fuck," she moaned, pushing her ass up in the air for more.

He leaned over to her ear and whispered, "A- Are you okay?"

"You're breaking my immersion," she replied dryly, and he chuckled as he sat back up.

He spanked her other side, and she groaned his name lustily. He felt his cock throb in response, and he wondered just how much longer he could keep their game going. All his senses were screaming to mount her. Through his haze of passion he remembered what she'd said earlier, and he gently flipped her onto her back. He reached up to untie her hands again.

"Guide me," he said, pulling her small fingers under his own as he trailed them down her belly and at the apex of her sex.

Nodding, her eyes clouded with lust, she began rubbing her clit, and he brought his face down close to their hands, watching intently in fascination. His other hand joined theirs, rubbing and teasing her lips, and she gasped sharply.

"More," she panted when he looked up in question. "Oh, Donnie, more. Please."

More? How could he do more? He frowned, then tilted his head further down. His wide tongue pressed against her lips, dragging upward slowly toward where their hands were rubbing, and her hips bucked, pushing herself against his mouth.

"_Fuck,_ Donnie," she breathed erratically, her eyes narrowing to slits as she looked down at him.

He couldn't resist grinning at her and asking, "Do you mean that literally or figuratively?"

"Literally," she growled, thrusting her hips at him again. "Use your pet to get off."

Her words sent a shudder through him. "Are you ready for me?"

She nodded quickly. "Just go extra slow. I'll adjust."

"Sec." He bent down, licking her once more, and she gave a soft squeal. "You taste _amazing._ You're so wet." He lapped at her again, enjoying her pants and wheezes.

"Donnie," she whined. "More of that later. I want you inside me. Please. Now. Please, _master._"

He grunted in reply, shifting his weight to crawl atop her. She attacked his neck with kisses and light nips once it was within reach, and he moaned, crazy with desire.

She reached down between them, guiding his cock to her entrance. She tried to move against him, but he held back one last time.

"Do you want your master to take you?" he asked huskily, rubbing his nose against her shoulder.

She sunk her teeth into his shoulder, and he cried out as his mind shut down and _pushed_. Seconds later the passionate haze faded, and he felt Lexi struggling beneath him. He froze, kissing her face tenderly.

"Let- let me adjust," she begged, her nails digging into his arms. The flash of pain made him moan again.

"Sorry," he mumbled, ashamed. "That felt _so good_ when you bit me."

"I- I'll remember that," she panted. She wiggled experimentally. "Okay, little more."

They did this for a moment, inching in, then resting, then pushing in. It took all his willpower to not thrust into her- she was so tight and wet and hot and _sexy_. His fear of hurting her outweighed everything, and he choked back his passion momentarily.

"O- Okay," he said finally. "I'm all the way in. You okay?"

"Yes," she replied, breathing through her mouth. "Give it a few more seconds, then just be gentle at first."

"Will it always be like this?" he asked curiously. "I'm scared of hurting you."

"No," she shook her head. "I just haven't done anything in a long, long time."

"Oh. Good," he sighed in relief. "It's _so _hard to not move."

"I just need more practice," she winked at him. "_Lots_ more."

"C- can I, yet?" he pleaded.

Grinning, she bit down on his shoulder again.

"_Fuck!_" he screamed, thrusting deeply into her. She shrieked against his shoulder, her insides clamping down on him, which only made him groan louder.

"C'mon," she muttered as she bit her way up his neck. "Use me, master." Her hand snaked between them again, rubbing herself.

He thrust into her slowly, desperate to prolong the experience but already feeling his body tensing. "Yes, pet," he hissed. "Get yourself close to the edge."

"I- I am," she moaned. She abandoned herself and reached up to tangle her hands in his bandana, tugging at it mindlessly. "Oh fuck, Donnie, use me. Make me cum."

"Harder?" he begged in permission.

"Yes!" She wrapped her legs around his hips, her feet curling against his shell possessively. "Yes! More!"

He lowered his head next to hers, thrusting faster. Her scent filled his nostrils; her hair teased his face as he rocked back and forth.

"Donnie… Donnie!" she moaned louder, and he turned his head to cover her lips with his own. Her entire body tensed, became rigid, then shivered.

"_Donnie!_" she screamed against his mouth as she came, pulling at his cock inside her. Her nails dug into his flesh as she bit his lower lip.

Her climax made her even tighter around him, and he felt his mind slipping. Desperately he thrust once more into her, his vision blurring as he yelled her name in turn, spilling his hot cum inside her as he shuddered in her arms. He pumped into her twice more, causing her to tighten around him again in the aftermath.

"Donnie," she moaned softly, licking and chewing on his lip still. "Gods, man, that was your first time?"

"Yes," he admitted, suddenly feeling shy.

She ran her hands lovingly over his head and face, her eyes dark and full as she gazed back at him. "It's cheesy, and you don't have to believe me, but that- you're the best I've ever had."

"I- I- So-," he stuttered, unable to form a sentence. He shifted his weight and rolled to the side, bringing her with him, cuddling her against his chest.

She rested her head tiredly against the bed, staring up at him in wonder. "You're amazing, honey. And there's so much we didn't even get to…"

"I have a question," he said softly, and she raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell would anyone call you boring in bed?"

"Because _that_ is what I like," she nearly purred, kissing his chest hungrily. "And I'll want _that_ most every time."

He shook his head. "And how the _fuck_ would that ever get boring?"

"Beats me," she sighed happily. She gently pushed away from his embrace, grabbing her belt and climbing out of bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked anxiously.

"To give them a blanket," she said, shrugging into her robe and tying it.

He chuckled, resting back against a pillow. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be right back." She plucked a green blanket from a nearby chair and slipped out of the room. She found Leo and Raph passed out on the couch in a tangle of limbs, and she smiled down at them fondly. Gently she covered them with the blanket, making sure it was tucked around their feet so they wouldn't get cold. She gave them each a soft kiss on the head before returning to the bedroom.

Donnie had pulled the comforter and sheets back and was snuggled underneath them. He patted the space beside him as she dumped her robe on the ground and climbed into his arms.

"This is interesting," he said, feeling her naked body pressed against his. "Might make it a bit hard for me to sleep."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll manage," she laughed. "Aren't you tired?"

He yawned in response.

"But if you wake up during the night…" She grinned at him before curling against his chest. "Your pet is right here."

"Precious," he murmured over and over, stroking her hair as they fell asleep.

* * *

[Author's Note]

Dom!Donnie = FUCKING HAWT

Can I get a _hell yeah?_


	39. To My Readers II

Hey dudes and dudettes!

I've already had several questions about this, so I thought I'd post this until I publish the next chapter.

NO, this is NOT the end of the story! There's still a few key parts of the story left. I estimate roughly about 5 chapters left in this particular story.

After that, there will be two _much_ shorter sequels- and I promise in the end, all of the characters will end up happy. I've got the first sequel already written in my big ol' brain, just have to get though this story arc first.

Hint: No, Mikey isn't finding someone special… I just CANNOT find an idea that would work within this story for him. Sorry Mikey fans! :(

After _that, _I'll begin a new story which will be Raph x Don, Leo x Mikey. If you enjoy tcest, I hope you'll check back and skim through it. ^_^

*ahem* As to the reviews.. Wow. You sick, wonderful freaks. I LOVE YOU! My nerves were shot each time I uploaded the last two chapters- yes, I'm still writing this story for myself, but I was desperately hoping those two chapters would be received positively. And my goodness have they. I'm humbled, floored, and slightly embarrassed still. xD Just, wow. Thank you thank you!

I literally spent about 15hrs writing and editing those two chapters alone. The sun was peeking through my window each time I hit "Add Chapter". Heh!

I'm very pleased the Leo x Raph got so many wonderful comments. Personally I'm rather sick of the common 'dominance struggle' idea that most people write about them, so I went with what *I* thought they'd be like. Never forget, Raph is a lot more comfortable with his emotions, while Leo is just beginning to open up to him. Hence Leo's delicate formality that he kept throughout the whole thing. I thought it was adorable. ^_^ And only egged Raph on to see how far he could push him. *fangirl giggles*

TL;DR: No, this ain't the end of the story; More is coming; THANK YOU for reviews; I don't like dark Leo x Raph sex.

Toodles! Will post a real update soon!

Love, luck, and lollipops,

cndrow


	40. Chapter 38

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Eventual romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Raphael tried to roll over but was dragged halfway to consciousness as a part of his brain panicked. He couldn't move.

He groaned; awake enough to realize he wanted to remain asleep. He'd had the most amazing wet dream _ever-_

His eyes shot open as he heard Leo snore loudly next to his ear. Leo was laying partly on him and partly pressed into the back of the couch. His snores weren't those cute, sighing noises; this turtle was sawing logs with a vengeance. Raphael fought back a wave of laughter. The last time he'd seen Leo so exhausted he'd been pushing his training, hard, for weeks on end.

He tilted his head back, seeing the faint glow of the sunrise limning the curtains on the window. He really wanted to go back to sleep, but he was too excited. In fact, he was more than excited; he'd never felt so _alive_. Hell, he felt like Mike!

Chuckling softly at that thought, he gently put a hand on Leo's shoulder, intent on wriggling out from under him. But he froze as he moved his legs, a heavy, unfamiliar ache shooting through his back. Scowling, he lifted his head to look down at himself, surprised to see a blanket wrapped around them. When had that gotten there?

He threw the blanket off himself, doubling it on Leo's shell. He tried drawing his legs up experimentally, wincing in pain as that ache flashed through him again. He flushed slightly as he realized where the pain was centered. Hell. He would make damn sure he used actual lube when he did this to Leo. He liked pain- to a degree- but this was _not_ fun.

Moaning softly, he finally managed to roll off the couch, grimacing the entire time. He reached down to tuck the blanket back around Leo, then snatched his bandana from the floor, settling it on his face. He gently straightened his back. He wasn't ashamed to mutter with every step he took toward the kitchen.

"Ow. Ow. Oww. Coffee. Ow. Ouch. Oww."

He rubbed his arms to ward off the cool air, looking around the counters frantically. Where was the coffee?

He sighed dejectedly as he remembered Alex didn't drink coffee. And not only was there no coffee, but no coffee pot either. Well, he'd just have to go get one. Don would want some when he got up. And he _really_ wanted some.

Cautiously he flexed his arms and legs, the ache already dulling with movement. He smiled in relief as he breathed deeply, moving slowly through a few stances and able to finish them without too much discomfort. He should be fine for a short walk.

Although Leo's snoring hadn't ceased, he silently walked to the door, shrugging into his trenchcoat. He pulled it close about him, enjoying the warmth. He dialed the thermostat up several degrees, not wanting the others to be cold whenever they got up. He fumbled through his pockets, frowning when all he found was a five dollar bill.

He looked back at Leo on the couch. Still asleep.

Chortling evilly to himself, he rummaged through Leo's coat, allowing himself a small crow of joy when he found two twenties. Perfect!

After pulling his hat low over his brow, he reached for the door, freezing when he heard it rattle. Frowning, he heard a key turn in the lock and had just enough time to step back as someone swung it open.

"R- Raph?" Mikey stuttered, slipping inside and closing the door behind him. "What're you doin' up this early, dude? It's Wednesday."

"No coffee," Raph hissed angrily. "Gotta go get some." He patted Mikey's shoulder affectionately. "What're you doing here so early?"

Mikey shifted his feet, giving him a half frown. "I couldn't sleep."

"Shh," Raph said, pointing at the couch. Mikey nodded dumbly. "C'mon, bro, why don't ya come with me? Up for a walk?"

Mikey nodded gratefully, handing the spare key over to Raph before opening the door.

They padded quietly down the hallway, buttoning their coats against the chilly air. Something was up with Mikey, but Raph figured he'd talk before long. And if not, light prompting would get him to.

They bent against the wind, snow swirling around them, sparkling when the sunrise slanted against it. Except for Mikey pulling on Raph's arm to excitedly point out the now functional Christmas lights, he was silent the entire way to the drugstore.

They ducked into the warmth of the store in relief. Raph lazily led Mikey through the aisles, occasionally pointing out sweets he knew Mikey liked, asking him if he wanted any. Mikey just shook his head and they'd continue on.

Raph picked through the limited selection of coffee makers, most of them too expensive or big for what he needed. Finally he settled on a four cup maker. It looked like it wouldn't take up much room, and would make just enough for he and Don.

"Whaddya think?" he asked, hoisting it up in his hands.

"I told Casey," Mikey blurted out.

"_What?_" Raph exploded, and Mikey recoiled against the nearby shelves.

"It- it just kinda came up," Mikey said lamely, gesturing frantically.

Raphael closed his mouth, forcing himself to breathe through his nose. Deep breath. Then another.

"Just came up? How did that happen?" Raph said, trying to hold back his anger. "_'Hey, Leo's fucking Raph. Another round of Halo?'_"

Mikey winced. "He asked me what was up with you. You haven't been around lately. And… And…" He shrugged helplessly.

Raphael rubbed his face with one hand. "Ya know how to lie, Mike. Or couldn't ya have just told him to ask me?"

"I didn't think of that until it was too late," he replied miserably. "I'm really sorry."

"Mike… _shit,_" Raphael muttered, massaging his left temple. "Well?"

"Well what?" Mike asked in a small voice.

"What did he say?" Raphael growled, and Mikey jumped again.

"He- he said it was your business," Mikey said nervously. "And he seemed upset you didn't tell him."

"Duh," Raph said sharply, smacking the back of Mikey's head. "Geez, Mike."

"I'm really sorry," Mikey repeated, his baby blue eyes wide with sadness.

If they'd been at home, Raphael would've chased Mikey into the dojo and flayed into his motormouth brother. He made a mental note to do that later. In the meantime, there wasn't much he could do about it.

"Mike," he finally said, and his youngest brother snapped his gaze back to his. "Let me handle my stuff, okay?"

Mikey nodded violently.

"I'm gonna beat your ass, you know that?" Raphael muttered.

"You usually do," Mikey said unhappily.

Raph tilted his head, considering him. "Just cause you read too many damn comics instead of practicing."

Mikey scrunched his face. "Yeah, thanks, _Leonardo._"

Raphael snorted at him. "It's true." He held up the coffee maker again. "Now, whaddya think?"

"You- you're not mad?" Mikey asked tentatively.

"I'm _really_ mad," Raph said, though his tone was steady. "But I'll just take out my frustration with you at home."

"You aren't gonna yell at me?"

Raphael sighed. "No, Mike. C'mon. Since you don't give a shit, I'm buying this one. Let's get outta here."

"D- Don't you wanna buy some coffee too?" Mikey asked, and Raphael snapped his fingers, smiling.

"Hell. Almost forgot. Thanks."

Mikey began to smile as he followed Raph obediently. He didn't speak up until they were back out on the street, fighting through the now heavy snowfall.

"Hey Raph?"

"Wha?"

"If the weather keeps up…" Mikey tilted his head, smiling at the grey sky. "Wanna make a snow turtle?"

"Only if we can convince the others to a snowball fight," Raph said, grinning evilly.

Mikey bounced for a second, his face lighting up with excitement. "I bet if we bundle up Alex enough, she could come and referee!"

Raphael nodded. "That'd be nice, two even teams for once."

"Yeah!"

"And she'd be an easy target," Raph grinning, and they sniggered together. He tilted his hat to look at his youngest brother. The joy on Mikey's face warmed him more than any coat ever could.

"Mike?"

Mikey skipped beside him. "Yeah?"

Raphael dipped his head, hiding his eyes under the brim of his hat. "You okay with Leo an' me, Mike?"

Mikey's body tensed, but his smile remained on his face. "Dude, I'm with Casey. It's your business. Are you happy?"

"Yeah," Raph admitted.

"Then so am I." He patted Raph's shoulder awkwardly. "I know neither of you would do anything to hurt our family, bro. I trust you guys." He gave Raph a sly glance. "What did sensei say?"

"Haven't asked yet," Raph said miserably. "I'm worried about that."

"Aww, don't worry," Mikey said, skipping again.

"Why not?" Raph snapped.

"Hey, you know how father is," Mikey said, turning and walking backwards to look at Raph. "He wants us to be balanced and all that jizz-,"

"_Jazz,_" Raphael corrected, doubling over as he burst into laughter. "All that _jazz!_"

"_Whatever!_ He lets us do our own thing otherwise. If this doesn't mess with your training and teamwork, he won't care."

Raphael paused, his mirth fading as Mikey's words sunk in. He'd carefully been avoiding thinking about this very subject, but with a few sentences Mikey had washed that hidden tension away. He carefully set the grocery bag on the ground then grabbed Mike in a hug.

"Yow! Wh- What-," Mikey stuttered.

"Thanks, Mike," Raph whispered.

Mikey relaxed, hugging him back. "Thanks for talking to me, Raphie."

"No!" Raphael frowned, pushing Mikey back to stare at him. "I _told_ you to not call me that."

"_Raphie,_" Mikey taunted, skipping backwards again. Raphael gripped his precious package and ran after Mike the rest of the way to the apartment. They fell against the wall by Alex's door, panting and throwing half-hearted punches at each other. Finally Raphael put his finger to his lips, signaling Mikey to be quiet as he unlocked the door and they stepped into the darkened room.

Raphael felt rather than saw Leo step up beside him, and he froze. Leo was _pissed._ He felt the anger radiating from his skin, and both he and Mikey's eyes went wide with puzzlement. They turned to face Leo, seeing the strange mix of fury and sadness in his dark eyes.

"L- Leo?" Raph asked uncertainly. "What's up?"

Silence hung in the air, and Raphael frantically grasped for any explanation, but none came. He helplessly stared back.

"I woke up, and you were _gone,_" Leo finally whispered, his voice so quiet Raphael could barely hear him a foot away. "No note. No trace. Nothing. You were just… _gone_."

"Shit, Leo." Raphael roughly shoved the grocery bag into Mikey's arms and gripped Leo's shoulders. "I- I didn't think- I got Don an' me a coffee maker." He gestured feebly at the package as Mikey backed away slowly, not wanting to participate in the conversation. Raph's heart twisted when he felt Leo's shoulders shake slightly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't leave you."

Leonardo relaxed slightly, though his anger didn't fade. "How would _you_ like to have woken up like that this morning? This _particular _morning?"

"I'm sorry, Leo," Raph said desperately. "I didn't think. At all." He pulled Leo to his chest, hands gripping the back of his neck. "I didn't leave you. I just wanted coffee."

"I- I thought-," Leo faltered, unable to finish his sentence.

"No," Raph said firmly. "I'm right here. Happy with you. With us." He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt Leo's hands finally reach up to hold him back.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again," Leo hissed, the last of his rage nearly shimmering in the air around them.

"I promise, I promise," Raphael mumbled.

"Coffee," Leo snorted into his shoulder. "Freak."

Raphael's lips curled in a smile. "So are you, Fearless Leader. Now let's eat somethin'."

"My stomach is in knots," Leo whispered. "I'll wait a few."

"I'm sorry, Leo," Raph said softly once more, turning his head to kiss his cheek gently. "C'mon. You can watch Mikey and me in the kitchen."

* * *

[Author's Note]

Poor Leo! *pets*

Yay for Raph & Mikey comfort. ^.^ Hrmn. Writing Raphael is getting a lot easier. Does that show? He's such a sap. T_T


	41. Chapter 39

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Donatello awoke to the smell of ambrosia, and he took a deep breath, smiling against Alex's hair. Dark, black coffee was being made. Probably Raph.

Seconds later, he blinked in confusion. But Lexi didn't have a coffee maker yet.

Alex murmured something against his chest, and all thoughts of coffee faded. He nuzzled the top of her head, running his hands lovingly over her warm naked skin.

"Mmm," she mumbled, pressing her lips to his neck in a trail of kisses. "Good morning, handsome."

"Good morning, precious," he whispered. "Did you sleep well?"

She rolled to lie on her back in his embrace, smiling up at him. "Best sleep I've ever had. You?"

"Same," he grinned. "Strangely, I still feel tired."

She stretched, purposefully giving him a full view of her chest. "It's probably from round two at three a.m."

"Probably," he chuckled.

They cuddled for a few moments, lazily touching and kissing each other as the sunrise shone down on them.

"Is that coffee?" Alex finally said, wrinkling her nose.

"Smells like it. I guess the others are up already." He rubbed his face against her cheek. "You should try some."

"Eww! No." She shook her head as she sat up. "I'll tolerate the smell, but I'm not drinking it."

Donnie gave an exaggerated sigh as he rolled out of bed.

She squeaked as she followed, rubbing her arms. "S- So cold. I need to keep it warmer at night." She opened a drawer and began rummaging through clothes rapidly.

He wrapped her in a hug from behind while she chose what to wear, his warm hands still wandering over her body.

"If you keep doing that, we're gonna miss breakfast," she said coyly, throwing him a look over her shoulder.

"Is that so terrible?"

"My stomach would say yes," she giggled. "I'm _starving._ Like, really starving!"

"I am too," he admitted.

She shrugged into a tank top and yoga pants, then pulled a blue hooded sweatshirt over the ensemble. "Let's go say hello."

"Sec." He turned her to him and gave her a gentle kiss. She returned it softly, her slender hands entwining with his. He kept one of them gripped in his when they parted and led her to the door.

They were pleased to see Mikey already over, cooking a huge batch of eggs on the stove as Raph tended a shiny new coffee pot. Leo was slumped at the kitchen table, watching them both with sleepy eyes. The five exchanged happy greetings.

"G'morning, oh vocal one," Donnie said quietly, raising an eyebrow.

Raphael had the decency to blush, then clamped a hand over Mikey's mouth as he opened it to question.

"Shaddup," Raph grumbled. "You want coffee or not?"

"Please," Donnie said affably, sitting by Leo. "You look like you were run over by a truck, Leo."

"Just tired," Leo replied, giving him a genuine smile. "Raph likes to give me heart attacks, apparently."

"That was a mistake," Raph sighed, glaring at him over his shell.

Alex and Donnie traded glances, but didn't dare venture to ask.

"_Soooo,_" Mikey interjected brightly, "Christmas tree. We need one."

"And lights! Lots of lights," Alex added.

"And that- that shiny stuff you wrap around it," Leo chuckled. "Whatever it is."

"Garland? Tinsel?" Alex tilted her head. "I vote for both."

"And one of those angels with a huge dress to go on top!" Mikey added excitedly.

"Or a lit star?" Leo suggested.

Raphael handed Donnie a mug of coffee, rolling his eyes. Donnie mimicked his gesture.

"Why don't you three get a tree later?" Leo's eyes slid to his partner's. "Raph and I have a few errands to run this morning."

"We do?" Raph raised his eyebrows.

Leonardo glanced at the clock. "April and Casey," he said simply.

"Ah, about that…" Raphael turned to Mikey, gripping his throat in one hand. "Ask Mr. Blabs here."

"I- I sorta told Case," Mikey squeaked, dropping the spatula to place both hands on Raph's arm.

"You _did_ tell_,_" Raph snarled in his face.

Leo's dark eyes regarded them for a moment before speaking up. "Wouldn't you still like to tell him yourself?"

"Yeah," Raphael breathed angrily.

"Let him go," Leo said more firmly, and Raph roughly pushed his youngest brother away. Mikey stumbled slightly and returned his attention to stirring the eggs.

"So," Leo turned to Donnie as if nothing had happened, "Raph and I will catch up with you guys in a bit."

"I ain't leavin' yet," Raph grumbled. "I'm hungry."

"After we eat, of course," Leo replied dryly. "But don't delay. April leaves for work in a few hours."

"Well why don't you go talk to her," Raph muttered. "Damn, this coffee sucks."

"I was about to say the same thing," Donnie piped up, grimacing. "It's probably because it's new."

"Yuck," Raph replied even as he took another long drag on his mug. "Hope that doesn't last long."

"We're both going," Leo said sternly, recapturing his attention.

"Why can't we split up?" Raphael glowered at him.

Leo gave him a devious smile. "Because you don't want to go. Obviously you should."

Raphael flipped him off but didn't complain. He wouldn't get anywhere arguing in front of the others. Besides, he was still feeling guilty, so he was a lot more inclined to agree to whatever.

"Mikey," Donnie said, wincing again as he sipped the coffee, "You and I need to go to the lair before we go shopping."

Mikey gave him a confused look.

"I need to pick up the spare parts to repair the moving truck. Mind helping me?"

"Oh, sure, bro," Mikey grinned. "Can I help you fix it?"

"No," Donnie said flatly. "But you can watch."

"Aww, c'mon Donnie. Please?"

Alex nudged Donnie's shoulder playfully. "Aww, please?" she teased.

"Okay, I'm not doing this if you're going to gang up on me," Donnie said placidly, crossing his arms as he leveled a stare at Alex. "You can just pay for the damages."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"C'mon, dude," Mikey wheedled. "I won't, like, touch what you're fixin'. But I'll hand you parts and stuff. Alex does that. I can too!"

Raphael watched in amusement as Mikey put on what he called his 'baby brother' face. The pitiful frown, the too-wide innocent eyes, the pleading expression. Sometimes Mike even punctuated it with huge crocodile tears when he was in trouble or _really_ wanted something.

Poor Don. Mikey didn't use his ace card very often, but when he did, Don always relented.

"Alright," Donnie sighed, rubbing his temples. "But I swear if you make it worse, I'll… I'll… I'm gonna use your PS3's guts for my next spare parts raid."

Mikey squealed, dropping his imploring look to be replaced by a fearful one. "I promise! I promise!"

Alex and Leo traded looks, sniggering.

"Are those ready yet?" Raphael asked, sniffing the eggs. "They don't take long to cook, right?"

"Yeah, they're ready." Mikey held up a stack of plates. "It's just eggs and toast, will that be enough?"

"Plenty," Alex said in relief, grabbing one of the plates and spooning food onto it.

Breakfast was swift and silent as they ate hungrily. Raphael was relieved to see Leo eat a normal portion; his stomach must've calmed down.

Ugh. He was going to feel guilty about that for _weeks._ Maybe _months_.

After spending an amused ten minutes watching Alex bundle herself in layer upon layer of clothes and a heavy-duty coat, they trudged down the stairs, huddling together once they stepped outside. The snow was already collecting, almost as deep as the top of Alex's shoes. They shouted goodbyes over the swirling wind, then parted ways.

Leo kept a hand on Raph's arm, just above the elbow, as they walked. It was a loose grip, not demanding, but the fact that he kept it there puzzled him. Before he could ask, Leo spoke up.

"We should head to April's first."

Raphael frowned, immediately balking. "We're closer to Case's."

"And April may leave for work soon."

"Then we'll talk to her tonight," Raphael retorted.

"You don't think Casey will mention it to her today?"

"Not until he talks to me," Raphael muttered, kicking at the snow. "Leo. I- I wanna talk to him. ASAP."

"Okay," Leo said quietly, nodding.

"And, uh, Leo?"

Leonardo glanced at him. "Yes?"

"Why're you holdin' onto me?" He gave him a smile. "I ain't goin' nowhere."

"Just want to make sure you're not," Leo muttered. "Humour me."

Raphael shrugged. By the time they reached Casey's, he had that silly grin on his face.

* * *

[Author's Note]

Short chapter, sorry. :S Wanted to break this up from the next one, so it made this one kinda short.

Well, let's see what Case and April have to say… I think Leo's nervous... o.o;;

Saya the Ninja Cat: Yeah… Poor Leo. T_T That'll take a bit to get over… Raph seriously needs his coffee before he can function in the morning. xD Lil' Mike had better watch himself indeed…. And Raph, because let's not forget Donnie still owes him for his hangover. Ooooh~

little151/emmaisemo: *e-hugs* Thanks for still sticking around and giving me comments! You're so sweet!


	42. Chapter 40

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Forty

"I'll wait up here," Leo offered, crouching on the edge of the rooftop. They were peering down at Casey's apartment below them.

"Thanks," Raphael muttered. "I'll be back soon."

"Take your time," Leo said neutrally. He finally let go of his arm as Raphael leapt down, landing lightly by Casey's window.

"Thought ya wanted me to hurry up," Raph called teasingly over his shoulder before disappearing inside. Leonardo watched him pad over to a worn armchair and thump Casey on the head before he turned away.

"Hey," Raph said quietly, flopping on a pillow on the floor.

Casey's eyes never left the TV. "Hey."

Raphael's eyes darted to the TV, wondering if the silence was tense or friendly.

"So, get this, Raph," Casey said, a grin creeping on his face. "Mike- ha ha- Mike said somethin' last night…"

Raphael kept staring at the TV. "Yeah. I know."

"And he said- _ha ha!_- He said, you and Leo were _datin'!_"

He could hear the desperate note in Casey's laugh, and he bristled. "Stupid term, but yeah."

Casey immediately fell silent, his eyes finally snapping to his friend's. Raphael shrugged back at him.

"C'mon," Casey snorted. "Mike was just puttin' me on… Right?"

"No." Raphael's teeth clenched. He almost felt sorry for Casey as he watched a range of emotions cross his face. That odd silence descended again for several moments.

"Look, Raph," Casey finally said in a low voice. "Y'know, there's, ah, places you can go, man. To- to relieve stress."

Raphael crossed his arms as he leaned back against the grimy wall. "Yeah? And why don't you go there, Case?"

"Because I'm with April, you dunderhead."

"So?"

"So?" Casey scowled at him. "I'm _with_ April."

Raphael stared steadily at him, slightly raising his eyebrows for emphasis.

Casey blinked stupidly for a few seconds before replying. "Y'mean it's… It's more than- than relieving stress?"

"Yeah," Raph said quietly.

Casey's gaze returned to the TV as he absorbed the new information.

Silence again, except for Raphael's shell scratching the wall as he shifted nervously. He gave Casey another moment, then spoke up.

"S'why I've been so on edge lately. I didn't wanna talk to ya 'bout it 'cause ya got yer own problems with April." He frowned deeply. "An' I wasn't quite sure of myself anyways. I am _now,_ but I haven't been 'til recently… I was gonna talk to ya when we saw ya this Friday but then _motormouth Mike_ beat me to it."

Raphael saw Casey relax and allowed himself a small smile. Casey rubbed the back of his head, looking at Raph in confusion.

"You're really sure 'bout this?" Casey lowered his voice, his eyes dark. "Leo's your _brother._"

"I dunno what to say," Raphael grunted. "I ain't asking ya to understand it."

"Good, 'cause I don't."

"Case, this ain't gonna change anythin' between you an' me," Raphael said in a low tone. "Or between you and my brothas."

Raphael's smile widened as Casey breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, Raph…" Casey drawled, drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, "Not to get all emotional on you but… you know I trust you. And the guys. So, uh… Yeah. As long as it don't change anythin' I'll get used to the idea." He pointed a finger at his friend in mock anger. "And I swear to God, if you two get all girly on me I'll beat your asses to bloody pulps and feed you in pieces to the Foot."

"Ugh," Raphael scowled. "Fuck no, Case. I'd die of shame before I'd do that."

"Good," Casey said again, finally grinning. "I mean, I know you're just a big ol' teddy bear inside-,"

"Hey, shut yer trap," Raphael muttered. "I got blackmail on ya."

Casey gripped the baseball bat beside him and chucked it at Raph, who easily ducked. "You said you'd forget that!"

Raphael gave him an evil grin. "Well you _just_ made me remember."

"Douchebag," Casey growled.

"Asshat."

Relaxed and at ease, they fell into their comfortable routine of bickering.

* * *

Leonardo took a deep breath, holding himself still, his eyes closed against the bitter cold. He tensed his muscles, dropping to his haunches before throwing a kick and a punch at an imaginary foe. He stilled, the falling snow settling on his feet; then did it again. Deep breath; kick, punch.

It was such a beautiful morning- barring his panic when he'd first awoken. He'd already forgiven Raphael for the oversight, though it still stung. That would fade with time.

He would be learning to trust Raphael on a whole new level in the coming months. He already irrevocably trusted Raphael with his life; his heart was an entirely different matter. If they were going to make this work for themselves and their family, he must develop complete faith in this area as well.

Deep breath; kick, punch.

There was no turning back now, though Leo had already known that that morning in the dojo. He had allowed himself to make an emotional, perhaps selfish decision, and he would see it through to the end. Happily.

He smiled as he took another deep breath.

Kick.

His punch was blocked by a hard hand.

His smile widened as he looked into Raphael's slanted merry eyes.

Raph twisted his bandana to hide his sight, hunching into a defensive stance. Two fingers beckoned Leo.

Pleasantly surprised, Leonardo closed his eyes, slipping back into the realm of his other senses. He could feel Raphael in front of him; he was warm. Always so warm. It was one of the many things about Raph that fascinated him.

Leonardo threw several punches, each perfectly blocked. Raphael remained on the defensive; fighting blind was one of his weakest points.

Punch, block. Uppercut, block. Leo's kick was caught, then twisted to force Leo away from his body.

Leo kept up the attack, his light footwork nearly floating over the packed snow as he tested Raphael's side protection. Perfect again. Had Raphael been practicing? Leo carefully, slowly worked him backwards, toward the edge of the building.

Another flurry of blows, and Raph's foot backed onto thin air. Gritting his teeth, one arm flailed as the other sought purchase by his feet.

Leo reached out, grabbing his shoulder and steadying him.

Raphael grumbled incoherently, righting his mask so he could see once more. Leo opened his eyes, grinning.

"That was much better," he praised. He was amused to see Raph's cheeks darken in a slight blush.

"Yeah, well, my head's a lot clearer these days," Raph said, shrugging.

"I'd venture to say all that you have left is to mind your surroundings more," Leo advised. "Then we can swap you to offensive blind training."

"Cool," Raph grinning lopsidedly. "Just don't tell Mike. I'll challenge him one of these days and beat his unsuspectin' ass."

Leonardo chuckled. "I would've thought you wanted to take your vengeance on him sooner."

"Oh, I am." Raph's grin turned evil, waving a hand and stirring the snow around them. "As soon as we get home. This'll just be somethin' I can save for when he pisses me off again." He tilted his head, eyeing Leo closely. "Thanks for the compliment, though."

"It wasn't one," Leo snorted. "It's truth."

"Yeah, whateva." Raphael's hands darted out, grabbing his head and grinding his knuckles into it.

"Are you finished?" Leo sighed, not struggling against the hold.

"Sure. Case said he'd call April and let her know we're comin', so we should head on."

Leonardo nodded. They turned and sprinted away in unison, blinking rapidly as the snow struck their faces.

* * *

[Author's Note]

I love love _love_ the mental image of those two sparring in the snow; the dreary sunlight that peeks around the clouds making the flakes sparkle. Two darkened forms half-hidden in the snow. I'm _so _inspired to try drawing that scene.

Although I'm a big fan of Casey, I honestly don't know much about his character. All I know of him is from the live action movies, and the very few times he popped up in the original cartoons. *sweatdrop* I figured he'd think Mikey was trying to pull a stunt. I hope I portrayed Raph and Case's awkwardness well enough!

*ahem* Anyway. Onward to April's!

CaseyMaria: Again, I'm truly flattered at your comment. You consider my story good enough to read even if you want to skip certain parts? Wow! I'm so happy! ^.^ Let me state once again I take NO offense whatsoever if anyone wants to skip certain parts. The last thing I want to do is offend anyone! :/  
Once I started writing Don & Alex's chapter it just kept going and going.. it's my longest chapter! lol! Really had a lot of fun with that one! Mmmmm Dom!Donnie *fangirl squeals*

little151/emmaisemo: Oh goodie, I'm glad you think I wrote the delicate emotion well on that chapter! I wanted it to contrast heavily to how Raph & Leo woke up. *snerk* Those two pairs are very, very different and I like contrasting them.

ninjalover13: Here's your update, albeit a small one again. D: I didn't want to lump this one with April's, though!


	43. Chapter 41

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Forty-One

"So, yer gonna do the talkin', right?" Raph muttered as they ran.

"Should I?" Leo asked, sounding distracted.

"I dunno." Raphael grabbed Leo's arm, helping sling him to the next rooftop. He backed up a few steps then took a running leap and landed lightly, digging his feet into the snow to catch up. "Ya seem nervous."

"I am," Leo admitted.

"I think she'd take it better from you."

"Why?"

Raphael shrugged, sparing a second to glance at him. "She admires ya, Leo. Always has." He gave a short bark of laughter. "In fact, Don an' I thought she was crushin' on ya for a while."

Leo gave him a thoughtful glance. "I could see that. It wasn't that, though… We simply have a deep respect for each other."

Raph nodded. "So _you_ should talk to her," he grinned, thinking he'd won that little dispute nicely.

"As long as you don't clam up," Leo said, shooting him a taunting smile.

"Sure, fine," Raph grumbled. "'Sides, I don't think she'd like hearin' it from me. _'Hey April. Leo an' I are a couple now. Won't change nothin' 'cept you might see us snoggin' in an alley. Thanks.'_"

Leo sniffed depreciatively. "Alleys aren't the place for that, anyway."

"Splittin' hairs, Leo."

They both laughed as they landed, crouched on April's fire escape.

Leonardo hesitated, and Raphael put a hand on his shoulder.

"I promise I'll back ya up. But I ain't initiatin' this."

"Okay."

They inhaled twin steadying breaths, then Leo rapped smartly on the window. The curtain was jerked back, and April appeared with a bright grin.

"Hey guys!" she greeted as she opened the window and ushered them inside. "I was surprised when Casey called! Just in time, too, I was about to leave. I made hot cocoa; I figured you two might be cold."

They accepted the steaming mugs gratefully as they all sat down. April glanced at her watch.

"I'm afraid I can't stay for long, I'm worried the weather will slow down my commute today." She gave them a confused smile. "What's up? I hope there's nothing wrong."

"No," Raph said quickly. He gave Leo a surreptitious look as he sipped the hot beverage.

"April, there's something we need to tell you," Leo replied. Raphael had to admire his composure; he knew Leo was edgy, but now that Fearless Leader mask was firmly in place. His body language was calculated and deliberate. Guess there was a use for it after all.

April's smile faded to be replaced with concern.

"After much consideration, Raphael and I have become involved intimately."

Raphael choked on his cocoa, grinning in spite of himself at the direct statement. Leo didn't fuck around.

April blinked slowly, her concern melting back into confusion. "I- I'm sorry. Run that by me again?"

Leo's eyes slid to Raphael's, and he took the cue.

"We're _together_, April. Like you an' Casey. We're happy with it; so's our brothers. But obviously we wanted to tell ya."

Leo cleared his throat. "Although ultimately this will not impact our relationship with you or Casey, we are also both well aware of the taboo societal implications. Your opinion, and acceptance or rejection are important to us."

"I… I…" April leaned back against her chair, shaking her head. "I don't know what to say."

"Take as much time as you wish to think about it," Leo said quietly. "Your friendship means much to Raph and I. We do not want to pressure you to make a decision either way."

Her wide eyes flickered between them. "What decision?" she blurted.

"If ya wanna remain friends or not," Raphael frowned at her.

"Of course I do," she said, taking a deep breath and sighing. "This is just… Well…" She tilted her head, thinking. "Actually, I guess it's not totally unexpected."

Leo gave her a secretive smile. "That makes one of us."

Raphael punched his arm, careful to not spill their cocoa.

April's brow furrowed as she frowned. "I have to confess I'm uncomfortable with the idea. You're… You're certain of this?"

"Yes," Leo nearly whispered.

Raphael nodded emphatically.

"But your family…"

"Donnie saw it comin' from a mile away," Raphael replied, smiling. "Mike doesn't care. Just talked to Case, he's okay. And, hell, Alex even thinks it's _great._" He chuckled as he remembered her comment of them being _hot_ together. Personally, he couldn't agree more.

"Splinter?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Leo shifted nervously next to Raphael; the Fearless Leader facade slipping momentarily. "We have not yet had a chance to talk to sensei. He has left on a nature retreat for several weeks."

April took another deep breath. "Guys, I don't want to offend you…"

"You won't," Leo assured her.

She paused, her eyes darting back and forth again. "Whatever Splinter decides is what I'll stand by. He alone knows what's best for your family. But no matter what, you four will always be a part of _my_ family." She gave them a small smile. "You've seen me through thick and thin; _nothing _would convince me to break our friendship."

Raphael relaxed visibly, smiling in relief. "Thanks, April."

She held up a hand. "I still need time to- to get used to the idea."

Leo nodded once more. "We will remain the same as we've always been, especially in your presence," he said delicately.

"Yeah… I'd appreciate that." She twisted her wrist, glancing at her watch again. "Guys, I'm not trying to be insensitive but I should go."

Leo stood immediately, dragging Raph to his feet. "Of course. I hope our timing wasn't inappropriate." He picked up her coat and held it open for her.

"N- no," she said, giving him another smile. "And I hope you'll still come on Friday."

"Yeah!" Raph exclaimed. "Mike an' I got an epic snowball fight planned."

She couldn't help but laugh at the pure glee on his face. "I guess I should get some extra gear out of the storage closet. Remember the plastic shields we used last year?"

"Perfect!" Raph grinned. "And Mike is dying to make snow turtles. You still got those old cheap scarves?"

She nodded as they walked her to the door. "And I'll try to find some more buttons. I think we lost all the ones we had." She paused, then swiftly gave them each a hug.

"Take care of each other," she said softly.

They nodded solemnly back at her before saying goodbye. She gently closed the door and they stood in silence for a moment.

"That went well," Raph said, locking the door. "At least, I thought so."

"Quite," Leo said, his voice slightly strained. "I was more worried than I care to admit."

"I know," Raph scoffed as they ran back to the window. "I can see right through ya, y'know."

"Really now," Leo said dryly.

"Yep."

They crawled out the window and Raphael turned back to it, withdrawing one of his sais. His tongue slid out of his mouth, curling as he concentrated on manipulating the lock, finally hearing it snap as it bolted home. He straightened, pleased with himself, then caught Leo's stare. His eyes were murky again, swirling with emotion.

"What is it, Leo?" Raphael frowned at him, batting away a clump of snow that fell from a landing above.

"No regrets?" Leo asked, his voice unwavering.

"None whatsoeva. And ya can keep askin' that all ya want. You'll get the same answer."

"I may over these next few months," Leo admitted.

"Who woulda guessed Fearless Leader was so insecure?" Raph teased, his eyes narrowed.

Leonardo snorted. "And you aren't?"

"Not at all." Raphael locked his hands behind his head, smiling up at the falling snow. "I'm a cocky bastard, ya know that."

"Truer words were never spoken," Leo said sarcastically.

Raphael kicked at his ankles. "Ya love it."

"Also true," Leo replied, giving him a soft smile.

Raphael glanced at him, startled at the admission. "D'aww. Don't get all sappy on me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Leo's eyes took on a new gleam as he leapt to the railing, looking back over his shoulder. "Now let's go help the others pick out a Christmas tree!"

"Freak," Raphael taunted as they raced off into the snow.

* * *

[Author's Note]

I keep seeing Leo cheerfully tying Raph up with shiny silver tinsel. O_o


	44. Chapter 42

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Forty-Two

"No, Mike! Blue! The _blue_ handled one!"

"But Donnie," Mikey whined, looking dejectedly at the screwdriver in his hand, "you know orange is the best!"

Donatello rubbed his face with both hands before replying. "It's not the colour; it's the _size_ that's important."

Alex and Mikey exchanged an impish grin, then shouted in unison, "_That's what she said!_" They dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"Oh for the love of-," Donnie growled, leaning precariously over the side of the truck to fish the one he needed from his toolbox.

Mikey leaned on Don's shell, still laughing. "Oh c'mon Donnie, that was funny!"

"Are you going to help or not?" Donnie asked irritably, but Alex saw a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Of course I am," Mikey said, switching seamlessly to a wounded expression.

Donnie sighed in exasperation. "How, exactly?"

"I helped you carry your toolbox-,"

"You dropped it. Twice."

"And I swept up the headlight glass-,"

"You put the glass _in_ my toolbox."

"And then I cleaned it out-,"

"I cut my hand on a piece you missed."

"Oh c'mon Donnie," Mikey pleaded. "It's Christmas!"

"Not yet," Don mumbled back, unable to hide his smile any longer. "You're just one big accident waiting to happen, y'know that Mikey?" He pointed the screwdriver at his youngest brother. "It's a wonder you're an effective ninja at all."

Michaelangelo put a hand over his heart, his face pained. "Ouch, Donnie. Hit me where it hurts why don'cha?"

Donnie threw a kick at his crotch and Mikey skittered away, shrieking. "Yikes, Don! I didn't mean literally!"

Alex slouched against one of the truck's wheels, helpless with laughter. Donnie joined her, powerless to hold back his chuckles.

Mikey's face nearly split with his wide grin. "So, Donnie, you'll use this orange one won't you?" He held it up. "It'll do a _much _better job."

"Sure." Donnie plucked it from his grasp, then rapped him on the head with it. "Done."

"I don't have to take this abuse!" Mikey wailed.

Alex poked his ankle. "You love it, Mikey."

"Yeah," he admitted, his bright grin returning. "So how long will this take? Huh? Huh? 'Cause I wanna go get a tree!"

"Well, if there aren't any more distractions, thirty minutes or less." Donnie leaned forward, trying several pieces of intact glass to the size of the headlamp.

Mikey swept his arms to the side, speaking in a deep announcer voice. "Donatello's Fix-It Service! Returns clunkers to brand-new in thirty minutes or your repair is FREE!"

Donnie took another swipe at him with the screwdriver. "Mike! I can't work if you keep making me laugh!"

"Sorry, sorry. I'll hold my breath." Mikey scrunched his face, crossing his eyes.

Alex reached under Donnie and tickled his feet, causing Mikey to step backwards, giggling in a rush of breath.

"And this is why I don't let him in my lab," Donnie said teasingly. "If he's not breaking things, I can't concentrate!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I do wanna get this done." Mikey bent by him, helping him hold a glass plate in place.

"Did you find a replacement?" Alex asked, her chest heaving breathlessly from the laughter still.

"Looks like it. Keep it there, Mikey." Donnie rummaged through the pile of junk at his feet, using both his hands and toes to pick the pieces aside. "Ah ha, here's a wire that should work."

"A wire?" Mikey looked at him, puzzled. "Why do you need that?"

"Because the wiring blew when we hit the tree," Donnie explained patiently. "This should patch it up nicely. You can take that away now." He shot Mikey a glare as his brother began rolling it through his fingers. "_Don't_ break it! I don't know if I have another that will fit!"

"Relaaaax, Donnie," Mikey taunted. "Contrary to what _you_ believe, I am an exceptionally awesome and kickass ninja."

Donnie just snorted as his fingers wound the wire into the headlamp.

"I think you are," Alex said, her bright eyes shining.

He gave her a full bow. "Thank you for your vote of confidence, dudette."

Mikey hopped from one foot to the other, and Donnie sighed. "Mike, seriously, give me five minutes of peace."

"Fine," Mikey sniffed. He plopped on the ground next to Alex, who began trading jokes with him, keeping him distracted.

Almost ten minutes later Donnie was satisfied with the wiring and sat back, smiling at his handiwork. "Okay Mikey, you're up."

"Took your sweet time, huh?" Mikey leapt to his feet, returning the glass plate to the truck's front. "Hold it here?"

"Yep."

A moment later, and the headlamp was as good as new. The glass plating was the barest hint of a shade darker than its twin, but Donnie seriously doubted if anyone would detect it. And if they did, by the time it was noticed it wouldn't be traced back to Lexi.

"We're good to go," Donnie announced, and Mikey high-fived him.

"You're so awesome, bro," Mikey said warmly, and Donnie actually flushed slightly.

"Isn't he?" Alex added, wrapping her arms around one of his.

"I wonder where our wayward brothers are?" Donnie mused.

"Up to here in snow probably," Mikey chuckled, holding a hand at his waist. "It sure is coming down, huh?"

"Yeah, we should get this truck back soon," Alex said, looking worried. "The less snow we have to drive in, the better."

Donnie tapped his foot, thinking for a few seconds, then snapped his fingers. "We'll leave them a note and head out."

"Man, I hope Leo doesn't miss out on this," Mikey pouted. "I think that dude loves Christmas trees almost as much as me."

"Almost," Donnie said, giving his youngest brother an indulgent smile.

"I'll handle the note," Alex offered. "You two want anything from the apartment?"

"Nah." They both shook their heads and she ran off to the stairs.

"Y'know, Mikey," Donnie said, throwing an arm over his brother's shoulders, "I hate to see her go, but I love to watch her leave."

Mikey burst into laughter, leaning on Donnie. "Priceless, bro!"

Donnie gave him a grin, then sobered slightly. "So, Mikey, how're you doing?"

Mikey threw his hands in the air in exasperation. "What, am I terminal or somethin'? Why's everyone asking me if I'm okay? I'm fine!"

Donnie shook his head, a smile returning to his face. "I'm Doctor Donnie, remember? I'm just asking."

"I'm doing great," Mikey said, smiling back. "I'm feeling fine, Alex is the best lil' sis _ever_, and I'm cool with you and her. And Leo and Raph." He tilted his head. "Does that cover all bases?"

"Pretty much," Donnie nodded at him.

"So, Raph and I got this snowball fight planned," Mikey grinned. "We can bundle up Alex and she can referee!"

"Dibs on Raph on my team," Donnie said quickly.

"NOT FAIR!" Mikey shouted, pouting at him. "Dibs on Leo!"

"Dibs on April."

"Pfft," Mikey waved a hand dismissively. "She can't hit the broad side of a warehouse."

"But she's a good scout," Donnie said slyly, and Mikey winced, remembering past fights.

"I forgot about that!"

"Oh ye of little brain mass," Donnie mocked, then ducked as Mikey threw a few punches at him.

"Goodness, can I not leave you two alone for five minutes?" Alex said as she ran back over to them.

They pointed at each other. "He started it," they said in unison.

She rolled her eyes at them, but couldn't hide her smile. "Get in, boys, let's go!"

"SHOTGUN!" Mikey yelled, throwing himself into the passenger seat.

"Twerp," Donnie muttered as he crawled behind him.

The drive was a swirl of white and red lights as they inched along the street. Mikey got extremely bored after being stuck in traffic after a half hour and started up a rousing game of I Spy. It kept them happily occupied until they pulled into the rental place at last. Alex had no problem turning the truck in, and soon they were walking down the sidewalk.

They walked three abreast, Alex in the middle, keen to be a wind shield for the other. Mikey and Donnie filled her in on her upcoming role in the snowball fight, which she eagerly accepted. They finally settled on staging the competition Friday afternoon at April's. Donnie was fairly certain she would want them to come over for the first snowfall of the season.

"So, like, where are we getting this tree anyway?" Mikey asked as they weaved through the crowded street.

Alex mumbled something and Donnie pulled her scarf down. "Can't hear you, precious."

"There's a place four blocks from my apartment," she repeated, giving him an apologetic smile. "I figured we could take turns dragging it."

Mikey flexed his arms. "No worries, I got it!" Donnie opened his mouth to reply, but he shoved his shoulder. "Hey, I gotta practice impressing the ladies, bro."

"I don't think you need any practice," Alex said dryly.

"Thank you- wait- huh?"

"I believe that's called a backhanded compliment," Donnie sniggered.

Mikey turned to Alex, raising his arms and growling, flexing his fingers like claws. She shrieked and ran ahead while he chased her. Donnie continued walking placidly, eventually catching up to them moments later. They were out of breath, yet still managing to laugh at each other.

"Almost there," Alex said when she regained her voice.

"Cool beans," Mikey said, skipping ahead of them. He paused, looking over his shoulder. "What the heck does 'cool beans' mean, anyway?"

"They freeze their produce?" Donnie shrugged, causing Alex and Mikey to giggle again.

"Well, I heard it on this show, I don't remember what it's called, and they said it, like, five times in a half hour and I was thinking- _oof!_" Mikey stumbled as someone hit him from behind, wrestling him to the ground with sheer momentum. "Leo, get off me!"

"You looked cold," Leo laughed, picking his brother up and dusting the snow off his coat.

"We ain't too late for the tree thing, are we?" Raph asked, smiling as he came up behind them.

"Obviously not." Donnie gave him a wry grin, and got a punch in the arm for his sarcasm.

"Glad we caught up to ya. All Leo can talk about is this stupid tree," Raph chuckled.

"There it is!" Mikey cried, pointing to a grouping of fuzzy trees ahead of them. Leo, Alex and him took off at a run, racing each other to get there first.

"This is just the beginning, apparently," Raph sighed. "After we get the tree home, Leo wants to go _back_ out into the cold and damp to get decorations."

"Maybe we can let those three go on their own," Donnie laughed, rolling his eyes.

"I dunno. He's getting all sappy about this tree." Raphael shook his head. "Don't got his head on straight every time he talks about it. You seriously think those three would be, well, _safe _alone?"

Donnie grimaced. "Excellent point." He gave Raphael a pointed glance. "So, uh. Two thumbs up?"

Raphael stared at him a moment, puzzled, before recognition dawned in his eyes. "Yep. Just- Just sensei left." Donnie was startled to see him smile warmly at him. "And that won't be a problem."

"I'm glad to see you so confident."

Raphael draped an arm over his brother as they walked slowly to rejoin the rest. "All thanks to the confidence you had in me, bro."

Donnie gave him a brilliant smile.

* * *

[Author's Note]

"You'll use _this_ screwdriver, right?" *puppy eyes*  
"Sure." _*bonk*_  
xD

Also, be proud of me. I went 42 chapters (technically 44) without a 'that's what she said' joke. BE PROUD! That's, like, my favourite joke of all time.

I'm so tired… I'll reply to reviews next update.. so sorry.. like ninjalover13, I got a bad cold.. *shares Leo's green tea with ninjalover13*  
P.S. I've uploaded a couple oneshot (short stories) related to this fanfiction here. Little ideas that I didn't want to force into this story, but were too good to let rot. Just go to my profile page and you can see all my stories listed. Enjoy!

*passes out with her Raph plushie*


	45. Merry Christmas my readers!

To all my wonderful, sweet, and patient readers;  
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays and have a relaxing and fun break!

And to a few special friends sharing this story has made me…..

ninjalover13: you get better! D: drink lots of water!

Casey: Have a great holiday my dear!

Saya the Awesome Ninja Cat: Thank you for all your special and sweet reviews! You have a great time this holiday! And play some LocoRoco :P

little151/emo: Thanks for being a constant friend with my story! Have a fun holiday!

The Mutant Rebel: I'm still waiting on your next chapter! hint hint hehe j/k you have a relaxing holiday!

Regular updates will resume soon. Sorry for this being the 3rd non-story update, but I wanted to wish everyone a warm and cheerful holiday! ^_^

And, in spirit of the holidays, in closing Michelangelo would like to sing you a Christmas song…

"Oh, I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas  
April and my bros are mad.  
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas  
'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.

I put a tack on Raphie's chair  
Somebody snitched on me.  
I tied a knot in April's hair  
Somebody snitched on me!  
I did a dance on Leo's plants  
Burned a hole in Casey's pants  
Filled Don's coffee pot with ants  
Somebody snitched on me.

Oh I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas.  
April and my bros are mad.  
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas.  
'Cause THEY CAN'T TAKE A JOKE!"

~Fin :3

P.S.: I had a very Turtlemas holiday this year... considering I've just rekindled my TMNT fandom after- what, nearly 11 years?- I asked for TMNT stuff from everyone.

My Turtle haul was thus:  
~3 vintage 1988 Turtle plushies! I had Leonardo from childhood (he was my absolute #1 fave as a child), but I've always wanted the others. I finally bit the bullet (and wallet) and used cash I got early for xmas to buy Mikey (15$) and Raphael (45$ - ouch). I begged my mother for Donatello, as I couldn't afford him, and she found him on eBay for me. They're all in pristine condition, so now I have 3 Turtle plushies arranged around my pillow at night while Raph sleeps cuddled next to me. . Yes, I'm 27 and sleep with stuffed animals. xD Actually... It's apparently done me some good, because as soon as I got my Raph plushie, I have not been having night terrors... Spooky, ne?  
~Seasons 4, 5, 6 AND 7 of the original cartoons! My collection of all the original episodes is nearly complete...  
~TMNT PSP game- it's not arrived yet, it's in the mail, ARGH MUST HAVE NAOW  
~2 Hot Topic shirts: one is all purple with the brothers in black relief and says "I Only Date Ninjas"; and one is green with all of them on the front that says "It's A Ninja Thang" SQUEEE! I can't wait to wear those to college in the spring LMAO  
~Donatello fingerless gloves; found them at Spencer's Gifts: they're green with Donnie's purple eyes/mask and his mouth on the back. []D [] []V[] []D

Biggest haul I think I've EVER made in one year... o.0 IM A VERY HAPPY TURTLE FANGIRL!  
*snuggles her Raph plushie to death*


	46. Chapter 43

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Forty-Three

It took the combined efforts of Leo, Mikey and Alex to convince the other two that they should set up the Christmas tree in the lair instead of the apartment. Donatello was dead-set against it at first, stating that the Christmas music Mikey blared was distracting enough- not to mention adding a tree, garland, ornaments and who-knows-what-else. It was simply impractical. Alex finally wore him down with promises of how wonderful the lair would look decorated and how said decorations would not interfere with everyday life.

Raphael gave in even sooner than Donnie. Michelangelo had pulled out his 'baby brother' face, and even he had to admit to himself it worked… sometimes. In truth, he went with the plan because he'd semi-forgotten how excited Leo had been the few years they'd salvaged a tree to use. He didn't say as much, though; just admitting it would probably be a nice change of pace, and sensei would certainly enjoy the festive embellishments.

They had to help each other guide and carry the tree down the twisting sewers, and they were all a bit begrimed and tired when they finally wrestled it into the large living area. They had swung by Alex's to pick up her stand and plain red tree skirt. Arguments broke out as to where to put the tree, which Raph and Donnie watched with no small amount of satisfaction. But their amusement faded when the three Christmas-crazed fans demanded they return topside to buy decorations. With much sighing and posturing, Raph and Donnie eventually allowed themselves to be convinced to go along.

By late afternoon they'd made not one, but two stops at large department stores to find just the right _this,_ or the perfect _that._ Raphael had to admit the shopping was a lot more fun than he originally thought when Leo held up a tightly wound bundle of tinsel, giving Raph a slow, teasing toe-to-head look. Raph gave him an evil grin back, pointing suggestively at Leo, who shook his head, laughing.

Too tired to cook dinner, they grabbed Thai take-out on the way home. Mikey and Alex insisted on putting at least one string of lights on the tree before sitting to eat. Once they were arranged, Donnie turned the main lights off and they ate in the glow of the new tree.

Once they were finished, the true decorating frenzy began. The tree was given the most attention at first, Mikey and Alex attacking it again with several more strings of lights as Leo carefully unpackaged the snowflake and spire ornaments they'd bought. Raph was even convinced to assist, and they had him setting up garland around the doorways. No amount of wheedling and cajoling from Alex would get Donnie to help, although he had great fun watching as he typed away on his laptop.

It was well past midnight when they were finished. They grabbed snacks from the kitchen, settling down to enjoy their handiwork. Even if he didn't understand or agree with the motivation behind it, Donnie admitted the lair looked fantastic and praised them all proudly.

Mikey was the first to crash, having been in a constant hyper state since that morning. He passed out on the couch as they were talking, and Donnie and Alex offered to help him to his room. Yawning, Alex bid Leo and Raph goodnight as Donnie carried Mikey upstairs, stating she also was too tired to stay awake much longer. After settling Mikey in his bed, she and Donnie retired to their room.

"You look tired," Raphael remarked, shooting Leo a glance. Leo's eyes were hooded as he concentrated on Assassin's Creed 2 on the TV.

"I am," he admitted sleepily. "But I'm almost finished with this mission."

"The 'just one more level' thing bit ya?" Raph chuckled.

Leo laughed softly. "Exactly."

He patted Leo's shoulder fondly as he stood up. "Have fun. I'm too keyed up to sleep. I'm gonna go try to get myself tired."

"You okay?" Leo asked, pausing his game to look up at him.

"Yeah, Leo. Don't nag."

Leo shrugged at him, returning his attention to the game.

Raph smiled at the back of his head, then turned and ran lightly to the dojo. He paused, glancing around the room before walking up to one of the punching bags. He loved punching bags- a bit too much if you asked Don, who had to replace one every month or so.

Raphael chuckled as he rained a flurry of blows on it. Don had gotten so fed up with making new punching bags he'd forced Raph to learn how to sew the threading. If he wanted a new one, Don would assemble it and Raph had to sew it. It was humiliating at first; sewing was one of those _girl _things. But Raph had begun to actually enjoy it after a few tries. It was very satisfying when he finished one, knowing he'd helped build it. It was a small taste of what Don must feel all the time.

He eyed the bag he was hitting currently. A small white cloud of stuffing was peeking from one of the seams, which meant it wouldn't last much longer. Once there was a tear, its short life was doomed. But it would be fine for tonight.

Letting his mind wander, Raphael continued his assault for another ten minutes, relieved to feel his arms finally getting tired. He felt like he'd slept for two days and had energy left over. He needed to burn it off if he ever wanted to sleep tonight. The other's festive mood must've affected him more than he thought, and he smiled at the idea.

"Some ninja _you_ are," Leo smirked in his ear, and Raphael froze, glancing over his shoulder to return the grin. "I'm half asleep and I snuck up on you."

"Yeah, well, I was thinkin'," Raphael snorted. "Didja finish your mission?"

"Without a hitch."

"Why ain't you in bed?"

"Because…" Leo reached around his back, pressing the palm of his hands against Raph's chest. "I don't want to go to bed alone."

Raphael's grin widened. "I dunno, Leo. You may wanna. I ain't tired yet."

"Well…" Leo leaned his head against the back of his neck. "I'm sure you can think of something to do to wear yourself down."

Raph snorted again. "Leo, yer about to fall asleep on my shell."

"Then wake me up," Leo mumbled, and Raph suppressed a shiver of desire as he shook his head.

"C'mon, let's get you into bed," Raph sighed, grabbing Leo's hands and plucking them from his grip on his chest. He turned to face his partner, noting Leo's eyes were still drooping. As much as he wanted to take him up on his offer, Leo was in no condition for it.

"But-," Leo nearly whined.

"No buts, 'cept yours in bed," Raph said firmly.

"Make me," Leo growled softly, using Raph's hold on his wrists to push his back against the wall.

Raphael narrowed his eyes. "No, Leo. Yer too tired."

Leo leaned forward, their noses almost touching as he grinned. "I like it when you're angry."

Raphael allowed himself a laugh. "I'll hafta remember that next time you're angry _at_ me." He lowered his voice. "But seriously, you horny bastard. Raincheck for in the morning, 'kay? You're dead on your feet."

Leo's determination faded from his eyes. "I guess you're right. But I still don't want to go to bed alone."

"Geez, Leo, we ain't kids anymore," Raphael scoffed, then recoiled slightly as Leo shot him a glare. "Okay, okay. I'll sit an' read a few of Mikey's comics by ya. Maybe that'll make me sleepy."

"Those would put anyone to sleep," Leo said dryly, and they laughed together.

"Leo…" Raph tilted his head as a thought struck him. "You haven't been havin' those terrors again have ya?"

Leonardo shook his head. "No. But I haven't been sleeping well."

"You sure were passed out this mornin'," Raphael sniggered. "You were snoring so loud you woke me up."

"I haven't rested that well in a month or more," Leo admitted, leaning his body against Raph's. "But the excitement today really wore me down."

"I can tell." Raphael wrapped his arms around his brother, enjoying his warmth. "C'mon. Let's go upstairs."

"_My_ room," Leo reminded him, and Raph rolled his eyes.

"If this is gonna work, yer gonna have to do somethin' about your room," Raphael grumbled. "It's so… so…"

"What?" Leo said, looking affronted.

"…borin'."

Leo glared at him again. "You don't like it just because it's not complete chaos."

"No, that's Mike's room," Raph chuckled, and Leo had to smile at that comment.

"Okay, you have a point." Leo sighed heavily. "We'll have to reach a compromise, I suppose."

"Hey, we can always sleep in my room instead," Raph said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Leo gave him a sly look. "Then you'd have to change _your_ room around."

Raph's eyes widened in horror. "Oh, _fine._ Your room for tonight."

"I thought so," Leo smirked, pleased with himself.

"So, uh… Ya gonna let me up anytime soon?" Raph pushed against Leo's hold slightly.

"I suppose so," Leo said thoughtfully.

"Ya can let me up, or I can toss ya across the dojo like a ragdoll. Yer choice," Raph said, giving him a challenging grin.

Leo returned the grin before swiftly leaning forward, pressing his mouth to Raph's insistently.

Raphael resisted initially, thinking Leo was still trying to convince him to have sex, but relaxed when he realized the kiss was more sleepy and comforting than adamant. He returned Leo's embrace, his hands wandering over his shell as his tongue gently slid across his brother's. They each breathed a contented sigh when they parted.

"Ahem."

They froze, eyes locked on each other's. Raphael briefly realized how thankful he was that he and Leo could have conversations without words.

Raphael tilted his head slightly. Excuse?

Leo shook his head imperceptibly. No, best to do this now.

Raph nodded slightly, then Leo stepped away from him. They turned as one to face their father.

Master Splinter's face was impassive as he nodded at his two sons. "I need to speak to you both in my room." He stared at them for a few more seconds, then turned and walked out of the dojo.

"Shit," Leo whispered, and Raphael could hear his ragged breathing. He placed a hand on Leo's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Don't worry. Leo, let me do the talkin'."

Leo shot him an incredulous glance. "Are you insane?"

"Yeah, but that's neither here nor there," Raph said, giving him a nervous smile. "Really. Let me talk, okay?"

"No," Leo said through gritted teeth.

"Have you thought about what to say?" Raphael scoffed.

"I-," Leo paused, letting his fear flash in his eyes, "No."

"Well I have. So put on your Fearless Leader mask and _you_ back me up this time."

"You know, that really irritates me," Leo grumbled as they trudged out of the dojo.

"Wha?"

"'Fearless Leader mask' crap."

Raphael snorted. "Well, it's true, and ya can't deny that."

"I guess that's why it's irritating," Leo muttered. "What makes you so confident?"

In spite of the knot in his stomach, Raphael was able to give Leo a warm smile. "Our brothas."

Leo was still giving him a confused look as they walked up to Splinter's door.

* * *

[Author's Note]

Wow, I've had several new reviewers over Christmas… THANK YOU to you all! Or y'all, as we say in the South in the U.S. Heh. :P

Sorry for the lack of updates over this last week. I got re-bitten by my WoW: Cataclysm bug and my guild leader has been egging me on to level my Hunter to max level so I can do instances and stuff with him. He's a complete doll and I luv him to death so I've been in the throes of Hunter-land over Christmas. Ehehehe. *ashamed smile* But the small break was good for me, I can now finish the story rapidly I think, and move on to the sequels!

ninjalover13: ohh I'm so glad you're feeling better! I was feeling better… then my mom got a cold.. and now I've got _that._ I just can't win. But all my Turtle-y gifts and all you sweet people make me feel so much better! Your shirt sounds SO CUTE! I bet you're adorable in it! hehehe

XxHellAngel95xX: Squeeeee! You have no idea how happy your reviews have made me! It's such a great motivation to find out someone else actually reads my too-long story and ALSO wants more. O_o Srsly, I didn't plan on this story being so long.. I'm so glad people can still wade through it and enjoy it hehehe. And yesh, my Raphie plushie is THE CUTEST THING EVAR. Not to say the others aren't, but for some reason I've bonded with my Raphie like super glue. A little odd, cause he's not my favourite Turtle per se (Leo and Don vie for that position). And TONS of e-cookies indeed to you for reading this monster of a story NOT on a computer... I know that can't be easy!

raphiegirl: THANK YOU you sweet thing! I admit I usually do not like fanfiction with OC's either… So that makes me a bit of a hypocrite I guess. :o It means SO MUCH to me that you'd still take the time and effort to read my story! I feel so loved! :3

running. with. weasleys: ahahaha! :D Basically what I was seeing in my head muwahahaha! Thanks for stopping to leave a comment, I nearly spewed my water all over my laptop when I read it LOL I just had to include a mention of that idea in this chapter, it was just too good to not put in! xD


	47. Chapter 44

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

**This chapter contains allusions to turtlecest.**

Chapter Forty-Four

Normally Master Splinter's room was calming to Leonardo, but he was having trouble keeping his composure as he and Raphael knelt before their father. The warm glow of the candles only seemed to throw harsh shadows; the sweet incense aggravated his already roiling stomach. He shot a surreptitious glance at his brother, who appeared assured and certain. Leo wished he felt like Raphael looked. He hadn't understood what Raphael had meant by their brothers giving him confidence, so he couldn't share in it.

Splinter stood before them, his face still unreadable. Only his flicking tail belied any emotion he felt. Raphael groaned inwardly; he was reminded of a ditty Mike had made up about that gesture. '_A twitchy tail means you've failed!_' Raphael mentally shook himself, trying to not smile at the memory.

Finally the silence was broken.

"I was pleased to find our home in such a calm state when I arrived," Splinter said neutrally. "The tension as of late has vanished." His small eyes darted back and forth between his sons, who stared back impassively. "However, the manner in which you have solved this tension is immoral."

Leo's heart sank, struggling to keep his face from showing his emotion.

Raphael bristled visibly, anger written on his face, but he kept his mouth closed.

"I cannot imagine you have made this decision lightly," Splinter continued, clasping his hands behind his back. "I am eager to hear your reasoning."

"We made the best decision possible," Raphael said, forcing his voice to remain quiet. Splinter glanced at him, slightly startled. He had obviously expected Leonardo to answer.

"We tried other solutions," Raph continued, choosing his words carefully. A part of his mind noted that Leo had basically stopped breathing. "Ignorin' it was simply not workin'. It made me irritable beyond belief, and it weighed heavily on Leo, clouding his judgment. It was unfair to everyone for us to ignore it." He bravely stared back at his father. "Don helped me see that."

"Donatello?" Splinter parroted, blinking in astonishment.

"Yeah. He talked to me. He'd had similar feelin's for- for one of us, even," Raphael stuttered. "An' don't worry; he and Alex are very happy together. Anyway. You know how he is. He'd thought this all out, like, a year ago. He even had a list of facts why _this-,_" he gestured between Leo and himself, "was okay."

Splinter's eyes narrowed as he listened, but didn't comment.

"But yeah, he made me see that ignorin' this was gonna tear us apart- not just me and Leo, but the rest of them too. I couldn't stand that thought. I'd even been snappin' at Mike for no good reason and he'd been takin' it without complaint 'cause he cares." He smiled fondly. "Y'know how _he_ is, too. He just wants everyone happy, and he nearly kills himself to make sure we are. But this was somethin' he couldn't fix and it was drivin' _him_ crazy too. So Leo an' I talked about it, and this was the decision we thought was best for everyone."

Raphael took a deep breath as he finished. It was kind of spooky how still and silent his father was while he talked. Then again, Raph rarely talked this much in front of his father.

Splinter's face had re-settled into a serene gaze. "Raphael, your greatest attribute is your passion. But you have yet to tame and master such a powerful emotion. You suffer from impulsiveness as a result." His eyes briefly slid to Leonardo's before returning. "There are other methods of channeling such passion."

"It ain't just physical," Raphael said hotly, then lowered his eyes in apology. "It- There's always been somethin' between Leo an' me. Ya saw that when we were kids."

Splinter nodded. "I agree. But you are still young; you are just now finding new layers of life and relationships at this stage. You should not mistake your feelings for something different." His eyes narrowed, his tail flicking again. "And you should not convince Leonardo to travel this road with you."

"He didn't!" Leo blurted, frowning. He wanted to shrink away as his father turned his dark gaze to him, but instead he leaned forward. "I made this decision with open eyes. I have not only considered the impact of our relationship on us two, but our brothers, yourself, and our friends." Leo raised his head proudly. "We have received their blessings, as well."

_Flick, flick._ Splinter's tail brushed the floor rapidly.

"And in one year? Two? Ten?" Splinter asked, his soft voice betraying a small amount of curiosity. "Infatuation fades with time, Leonardo. What will you do when that happens?"

Unable to resist, Raphael broke in with a smile. "Then we'll be two old turtles at the retirement home, yellin' at kids to get off our lawn and talkin' about the old glory days."

"Raph," Leo said sharply, giving him a glare. Raphael was pleased to note his eyes were laughing at him, though.

"Father, I don't believe that will be a concern," Leo continued, returning his gaze to their sensei.

Splinter tilted his head slightly, giving him an indulgent smile. "Leonardo, you will learn in time that I speak the truth. You must prepare for that eventuality."

"I already am," Leo replied boldly. "Because, as Raphael told you, this- what we have is not based on physical passion."

Splinter sighed, settling down on his red cushion to be at eye-level with them. Raph and Leo perked slightly- their father rarely sat when giving a lecture. Maybe this would end well after all.

"You, and your two brothers, are separate," Splinter said when he was finally comfortable. "Yet, you are also a single unit. You have a balance to maintain. This is a very large wrench to throw in that balance."

Raphael's mouth tugged as he tried to not smile; it was always odd to hear their father use a modern euphemism.

"That's why we have talked with them about this," Leo replied quietly.

Splinter regarded them, his eyes darting back and forth again. They barely breathed, still as statues.

"Even so, the fact remains that you are brothers," Splinter said, frowning. "You have delicately avoided discussing my first remark."

Raphael moved to speak, but Leo quieted him with a look.

"Father, I understand that you were once human," Leo said, his voice nearly a whisper. "But we are not like you. Forgive my harsh words, but you _chose_ to live in the sewers when you came to America; we have never had a choice. We have never lived topside in human society, and we never will."

_Flick, flick._

Leo swallowed a lump in his throat. "Donnie and Alex have proven _this_ is not our only choice. But, even knowing that…" He paused, glancing fondly at Raphael. "I'd make the same choice every time."

"Sap," Raphael muttered softly.

Leonardo swallowed again, his throat even drier as he decided to push their father-son boundary further. "And, again forgive me, father; but the decision ultimately lies with us. You have taught us to be respectful and responsible, and we have used both wisdom and consideration of others in making this decision." Leo's eyes shone with both hope and sadness as he stared as his father. "But we wish your blessing all the same."

An odd calm descended as they sat in silence for several moments. Raphael wanted to fidget under that piercing gaze, but he didn't dare move. Neither did Leo. They knew Splinter was coming to a conclusion, and they felt like if they moved at all, it would somehow negatively impact his decision.

Nearly a full five minutes crawled by before Splinter spoke.

"You are correct, Leonardo," he said softly. "This decision is yours and Raphael's to make; not mine. I understand your reasoning now. But I am withholding my blessing for now."

Raphael desperately wanted to ask why, and it must've shown because Splinter's face finally showed a hint of a smile.

"I wish to see how well your team conducts itself now," Splinter added. "Prove that this will not upset the balance between yourselves. Do this, and you will have it."

His words broke the immobilizing spell, and Raphael rushed forward to hug his father in a tight embrace. Chuckling, Splinter returned it, patting his shell affectionately.

"We _were_ going to talk to you," Leo added, smiling. "But we were distracted by, ah, an argument; and then you left on your retreat…"

"Excuses, excuses," Splinter replied, rolling his eyes. "There is no time like the present, my son."

Raphael let go of his father, still grinning. "Speaking of, I have to get Leo to bed. He's dead tired." He tugged on Leo's arm, standing with him.

"Don't think I can sleep now," Leo muttered.

"You'll crash as soon as you lay down," Raphael snorted. "If we may be excused, father?"

Splinter nodded his head silently. He watched in amusement as Raph had Leo lean on his shoulder and led him out of the room.

"Raphael, a mother hen?" Splinter said to himself. "I would not have guessed that."

* * *

[Author's Note]

Couldn't leave ya on a cliffhanger overnight. :3 I'm cruel, but not _that_ cruel.  
And this is not the end of this story. 2-3 chapters are left. After all, we've got a big snowball fight to do, right? Team Don/Raph/April VS Team Mike/Leo/Casey :D

Saya, I promise to reply to all the awesome comments you left next chapter. I'm kinda loopy on cold meds and I'm soooo tired and I gotta be up early… I know, like Splinter said 'excuses excuses' but I promise next update I'll reply!


	48. Chapter 45

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Forty-Five

Beep.  
Beep beep.  
BEEP BEEP BEEPBEEPBEEP-

Raphael smashed Leo's alarm clock angrily, finally silencing it. He rolled back over, but Leo was already sitting up.

"Aww, c'mon Leo," Raph said drowsily. "Don' meditate t'day. Sleep in jus' one mornin'."

"I did," Leo replied, smiling down at his brother. "Yesterday."

Raphael groaned, tugging on Leo's arm. "But yer warm," he whined, curling around his hips.

Leo gently pulled the blankets over Raph's shoulders. "I'll reset the alarm- if you didn't break it- and see you in an hour."

"Freak," Raphael muttered, pulling a pillow over his head.

* * *

An hour later, Donnie swatted his own alarm clock silent, and Alex groaned beside him.

"Too early," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes blearily.

"We will always agree on that," Donnie said, yawning as he sat up, pulling her with him.

She shivered beside him. "We need to get a space heater or something. It's cold."

"I'll do that today," Donnie said, kissing her forehead. "You can sleep in if you want, precious."

She shook her head, then grabbed her robes from the end of the bed. "If you gotta suffer getting up, I am too."

"You're so adorable," he replied, nuzzling her neck gently. "Maybe we should set the alarm earlier tomorrow."

She made a face. "Eww. Why?"

He gave her a shy smile. "So we can have our own _practice_ before I have mine with my brothers."

"Oooh, I approve," she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him fiercely. They spent several moments cuddling before Donnie sighed and pointed at the clock.

"I know, I know," she said, mimicking his sigh. "Let's go."

They met Raph in the hallway and they exchanged sleepy greetings.

"Why can't the world run on our time?" Raph complained as they carefully picked their way down the stairs.

"Beats me," Donnie replied gloomily.

Raph stretched his arms over his head as he gave another yawn. "Well, that's okay. I'm lookin' forward to this mornin's practice."

"Why's that?" Alex asked, peeking around Donnie to look at him.

"I'm gonna beat the snot out of Mikey," Raph hissed, an evil grin on his face.

"Hmm," Donnie said, tilting his head as he glanced at his brother, but Raph was too intent explaining how he was going to wring Mikey's neck to catch his thoughtful expression.

The three trudged into the dojo to be met by a bouncing Mikey and Leo, who was looking very amused. Leo walked over and gently touched Alex's shoulder, indicating she should stand by him at the wall. Puzzled, she did so.

"So, Mike," Raphael said, cracking his knuckles, "ya know what's comin', don'cha?"

"Yes but youuu don't," Mikey said in a sing-song voice. "I know you wanna take a crack at me-,"

"Hell yes I do," Raph interrupted, already stalking toward him.

"_Buuuuut_ you've forgotten something," Mikey said, dancing away.

"What?" Raphael growled.

"Donnie owes _you_ one," Mikey grinned, pointing.

Raphael froze, frowning.

Donatello gripped one of his Bo's from the wall, matching Mikey's grin. "I was just thinking about that."

Raphael backed a few steps away, keeping them both in front of him. "Okay, that's true. That's true, Don. But… You owe Mikey for his outburst at Alex."

It was Mikey's turn to freeze. He hadn't counted on that.

"This is better than any exercise I could put them through," Leo whispered to Alex, who hid her laughs behind her hand.

"I wonder who will get jumped first?" she whispered back merrily. "Raph or Mikey?"

"I hope its Raph," Leo said with an evil smile, and she laughed again.

By this time Raph and Mikey had grabbed their own weapons, and they were arguing who deserves an ass-beating the most.

"Listen," Donatello finally said, frowning. "Mikey, you don't have a grudge against Raph currently-,"

"But-!" Mikey protested, but Donnie kept talking.

"So we should team up," he said, nodding his head at Raphael, who grinned back. "Then I can take you one on one." He twirled his Bo lazily, his eyes narrowed. "Which will be cake. The short range of your sais almost never breach my defenses."

Raphael gaped at him. "So you're cheatin'?"

"How am I cheating?" Donnie asked placidly. "I'm setting this up to my advantage."

"I say we take _him_," Mikey growled, spinning one of his nunchaku.

"Cocky bastard," Raphael muttered in agreement.

"Hmph." Donnie spun his Bo once more, faster. "You're welcome to try."

So at first, Donnie was the one defending himself against two angered attackers. But as he had predicted, he kept up an easy defense, wearing his two brothers down.

Finally Raph and Mikey admitted a stalemate against their brother, who grinned widely at them. He hadn't gotten many hits in, but that wasn't inherent in his style of fighting anyway- he was much better at tricking or tripping his opponents than raw offense. He'd worn them down enough to where they were beginning to make mistakes.

"Perfect," Donnie said, standing straight and leaning on his Bo. "I wanted you to attack me first, you know. Now you're each easy pickings for me to get my own revenge on."

"You- you asswipe-," Raph's face twisted angrily again. Mikey just panted beside him, his eyes fearful.

"See that?" Alex whispered proudly, poking Leo. "That's my man."

Leo chuckled, shaking his head. "They should've known Donnie was setting them up."

"He's so brilliant," she said wistfully, a dreamy smile on her face.

Donatello proceeded to trash Mikey, finally throwing himself into offense alongside Raph. It was mere moments before they had him trapped on the floor beneath their weapons.

"_So_ not fair," Mikey moaned as he scuttled backwards toward the wall.

"And now…" Donnie turned to Raph. "This is for forcing half a bottle of rum down me."

"An' I'll do it again," Raph snickered, beckoning him forward. "That was an awesomely fun night."

Donnie paused, smiling. "True. But I'm _never _drinking enough to get a hangover again."

"Pussy," Raphael taunted. "Lightweight. Chickenshit."

"If you think you can goad me into anger, you'll be sorely disappointed," Donnie said, still smiling as he swung his Bo around. "Revenge is best served cold. I've been waiting for the perfect moment, and none shall come that's more perfect than this."

"Ya _do_ cheat," Raph scoffed, though his tired eyes were twinkling.

"I use my head," Donnie replied as they clashed together.

"_Cheater_." He swung his sais up, but his reflexes were too slow. The Bo smashed through his late block and rapped him sharply on his head. He shook it, dancing backwards, eyes narrowed. "That all ya got?"

"Death by a thousand cuts," Donnie said merrily. Seconds later, he got another hit in. Then another. And another.

Finally Raphael was on the floor, the tip of the Bo pressed against his throat like a sword. "Fine," he muttered. "I won't let you drink that much again."

"Good," Donnie said, pulling his Bo back and leaning on it once more. He shot a glance at Leo. "Not going to join in?"

"Not after that," Leo laughed, walking over to drape an arm around his shoulder. "That was expertly planned."

Donnie gave him a small bow. "Thank you." He turned to Raph and offered him a hand. "Let's get some coffee."

"_Please,_" Raph grunted, accepting the help and rubbing his head.

Alex made a soft squealing noise and ran over to Donnie, wrapping her arms around him. "That was _awesome!"_

Donnie flushed modestly as he led her and Raph out of the dojo.

"You okay there, Mikey?" Leo asked.

Mikey walked over to him, wearing a grin so large his face nearly split in two. "That was _fun!_ We should do that more often!"

"So, you want to yell obscenities and anger us to the point of ganging up on you in the dojo?" Leo asked dryly.

"Yes! Well, no. But I can get Raph mad without doing that," Mikey laughed. "Like, I've got this plan. It involves a pair of pliers- I'll have to steal those from Donnie- and a balloon and a live lobster…"

Leo shook his head as they left the dojo, both eager and dreading this latest prank.

* * *

[Author's Note]  
Sic 'em, Donnie! *evil cackles* Even though Leo was my all-time undisputed absolute favourite Turtle as a child, Donnie's Bo always fascinated me the most out of the four choices of weapons. Not quite sure why- twin katanas are pretty awesome to watch in action too- but that Bo was simply mesmerizing. My devotion to staff weaponry is not limited to TMNT, either- I adore spear / staff / glaive weaponry in anything I watch or play. Not only do you have to have brute strength, but you also have to have incredibly agile footwork with such a weapon. I'm with Alex on this one. *dreamy sigh*

So yeah… Holy crap, 3 updates in one night. I can't sleep. :( But that means I am writing like a demon, so that's good! :D I'm so on a roll, very eager to finally finish this story. It's all in my head, just gotta have time to write it down.

Saya the Awesome Ninja Cat: So yes, here's the forthcoming beatdown I reminded you of. :D I think Donnie enjoyed that a little too much! He can be _sooo_ smug.

I'm really pleased you think I pulled Casey off well. Yeah, I really don't know the character well… But I started watching the Turtles 2k3 cartoon series recently, and I can tell Casey is going to be a much more prominent character there. He seems basically unchanged, though, from what I've seen. Yay! I love Casey! And c'mon, wasn't that snowy fight scene just awesome? lol I _so_ have to draw that!

Ahahaha, glad you laughed at Leo in April's chapter. I was sniggering as I wrote it myself! I just knew Raph would time it to where he was drinking when Leo said that. *chokecough* Hahaha! I guess Leo is more like a chick… The way I see it (I may've said this before) he's just now allowing himself to be emotional, so he's pretty insecure with acting impulsively. It's one of the things he finds so attractive about Raph! xD

Oh man, I loved writing Don and Mikey's banter. I was laughing the whole time! Can you imagine how silly that game of I Spy was in the truck? ROFL!

And yesh, I has Raph plushie. He is awesomesauce. I wish I could shares with you. :(


	49. Chapter 46

Disclaimer & Warnings:

I do not own the Turtles, as much as I would love to.

Romantic pairings include 'turtlecest': OCxDonnie; LeoxRaph.

*These later chapters are converting the story to an M rating for language and innuendo / adult content.

Chapter Forty-Six

The next night, six dark figures fought through the thigh-high snow. The snow was still falling heavily, enough to obscure their vision.

Donnie fussily pulled Splinter's blanket closer around his shoulders, worried his father would get too cold, but the old rat waved him away with a laugh. Splinter had insisted on witnessing the upcoming snowball fight, stating it would be more entertainment than a week's worth of his 'stories'.

Mikey was already taking cheap shots at his brothers, forming snowballs and hitting them on their backs, laughing evilly and running away when he could goad one of them to chase him. Leo finally caught him once, stuffing snow down his coat and scarf as Mikey shrieked happily.

When they finally reached April's apartment, they were quite chilled but excited. April and Casey had already dragged some gear up to the roof, and were eager to get started. They all had a round of hot cocoa before they ventured back outside. April promised them eggnog when they were done, and they all cheered.

"So, I've got names for the teams," Mikey piped up, skipping through the snow when they got to the roof.

"But we haven't formed teams yet-," Leo said, but Don shook his head.

"Sorry, Mikey and I already called dibs on our teams," he laughed.

Raphael crossed his arms. "So we got no say in this?"

"Nope!" Mikey said cheerfully, then suddenly frowned. "And Donnie called dibs on you. Bastard."

"Oh really?" He grinned evilly at Donnie. "Oh good, I wanted to be opposite Mike."

"I figured," Mikey said unhappily. "But I got Leo and Casey!"

"Even better," Raph sniggered.

Casey punched his arm roughly. "Now _this_ will be fun! We were on the same team last year."

"Okay anyway," Mike said, skipping in a large circle around them. "I got names for our teams!"

"Let's hear your retarded names," Raph sighed.

"Well, I based it off our initials! Your team is Team _Rad_- Raph, April and Donnie!"

"Then…. What does that make us?" Leo said quizzically. "M, L, and C?"

"Well, ah, I had more trouble with that one," Mikey admitted. "The best I could come up with was Team Milk."

"_Milk?_" Casey burst out laughing. "That's the lamest thing I've ever heard!"

"I like it," Raph cackled.

"That's because you aren't on this team!" Leo accused.

"You got any better ideas?" Mikey sniffed, looking insulted.

"Yeah," Casey snorted. "Anything but _milk!_"

"I'd rather been Team B than milk," Leo added, shaking his head.

"Fine!" Mikey pouted. "Then what are we?"

"Let's borrow Alex's A and make it something like… Malc… or Calm…" Leo pondered.

"This has got to be one of the silliest conversations I've heard from you guys," April laughed, and she and Alex dissolved into giggles.

"Forget the initials!" Casey finally said. "If they get to be Team Rad, we're Team AWESOME!"

"_Awesome!_" Mikey and Leo chorused, high-fiving each other.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way… Let's get our forts made!" April said excitedly, and they split off into their teams. They spent the next hour building fortifications and walls on their side of the roof. Alex flitted between them, helping everyone out by pre-forming snowballs for each team. Splinter had climbed atop the centre of the roof, where the staircase exit made a small room that jutted above the rest of the level. He had a perfect vantage point, and offered to help Alex up next to him when everyone was ready.

It took over an hour of solid work, but finally both teams declared themselves ready. The roof was littered with buttresses, some arranged at right angles, others in seemingly random places. The falling snow only helped reinforce their structures.

"Take your positions!" Alex yelled from her and Splinter's perch. "Whichever team reaches 50 hits first wins! Ready?"

A chorus of agreement rang from the participants as they scrambled to hide.

"Then go!"

Everyone scrambled for ammunition, then began cautiously peeking out from behind their walls. For nearly a half hour neither team scored, so careful were they to move in and out of their fortresses.

Donnie patiently worked his way to the little room Alex was standing on. He finally got behind it, out of line of sight of the other team, and began running to the other side to try to take a pot shot from a better vantage point. He froze as he rounded the corner, meeting Leo barreling toward him, who apparently had the same idea. They both dove to the ground, viciously pelting the other with their snowball.

"A point to each team!" Alex shouted, laughing as she pointed at Leo and Donnie, who ran back to their respective teams.

"C'mon," Casey muttered. "They're scared. Let's knock down some of their walls!" He began gathering several snowballs in his arms, then began throwing them in the same place. Mikey, then Leo followed suit.

Thinking they were under assault, Raph and April quickly returned fire, and soon the air was thick with snowballs. Donnie bent to the ground, furiously making more snowballs and handing them to his teammates. Alex had to check her laughter as she desperately tried to keep up with the connecting hits. Mikey shrieked as two snowballs hit home on his face and knocked him backwards, tripping Casey, who fell with him.

"Team Rad in the lead with 34!" Alex said, gripping the edge of her perch in excitement. "I thought you were Team Awesome, not Team _Suck!_"

"Hey!" Leo frowned, rolling a large snowball in his hands. "Foul from the referee! And you know what that means." He chucked the snowball at her, and she skittered away as it splattered on her shoulder. Mikey and Casey turned to throw their own snowballs at her, pelting her as she tried to hide behind Splinter.

"Now!" April said, and her two teammates stood for a few seconds and launched a ferocious attack.

"36! 37! 38!" Alex added, pointing and laughing.

"That's it," Leo breathed angrily. "Follow me, Casey. Mikey, you keep them distracted."

Mikey redoubled his efforts, slinging snowballs at random over the wall he was crouched behind. Leo led Casey over to the room again, sneaking slowly so as to not attract attention. They got into position, keeping low to the ground, fingering their ammunition.

"Wait 'til Donnie moves in range," Leo whispered, and Casey nodded.

April saw them, but it was too late. She shouted something, then dove to the side as Leo and Casey's snowballs pelted them mercilessly. Donnie got the full brunt of the attack, and Alex nearly fell over laughing as she rapidly counted.

"Team Awesome in the lead with 42!" she finally shouted as Leo and Casey slinked back to their base.

"Suck _that!_" Mikey yelled, and Raphael raised a hand over his head to flip him off.

Donnie's hands were nearly frozen even through his mittens, so he and April swapped. Besides, he wanted a chance to cream Leo and Casey. He got several hits in over the next few minutes, scoring enough to tie with the other team.

The next half hour was tense as both teams got sneakier and more alert. Each hit was met with both yells of dismay and happiness as they edged closer to the 50 mark. Finally, it was one lucky toss that finally won- Mikey arced a snowball over their defenses and hit April on the back just as she was moving to hand Raph another one.

"Team Awesome is the winner!" Alex cried, signaling for them to stop. Raph, Donnie and April groaned in unison while the others whooped with joy.

"Even with planning and preparation, luck can be a factor in any battle," Splinter said, his eyes shining with mirth as he and Alex climbed down to join everyone.

"Wait," Donnie said, keeping Alex and Splinter back. "As the losers, we get free play for a full minute."

"What?" Alex asked, confused.

Mikey, Leo and Casey came out from behind their forts, grinning even as they braced themselves.

"We get to take free shots at them," April explained, winding her arm back, then flinging a snowball in Casey's face. He sputtered, shaking the snow from his hat, laughing.

"Snowballs won't do it for me," Raph growled playfully. He took a running leap then crashed into Mikey, rolling on the ground with him as he stuffed snow down his coat and into his face. Mikey screamed, flailing, but took the punishment happily.

Donnie walked up to Leo and dropped a huge snowball on his head with a wet _thump_. "I feel better now," he declared.

Once everyone's pride was soothed, they trooped back down the stairs, shaking snow from their clothes. As promised, April pulled several bottles of eggnog from the fridge and poured everyone a cup as they peeled out of their wet outer layers, hanging them in the bathroom so they wouldn't soak the furniture.

"Oh, this is good," Raph said approvingly, raising his cup to April.

Casey leaned over and whispered conspiratorially. "I added some extra rum."

Raphael gave him a thumbs up as he grinned. "Let's see how much we can get Leo to drink," he sniggered.

"Good idea!"

April put on some Christmas music, and they had a lot of fun singing along with the carols, mercilessly teasing anyone who was off-key. Alex was especially harsh, as she had a keen musical ear and kept pointing people out.

"If you're so great, why don't you sing?" Mikey pouted after she taunted him for the third time.

"Yeah!" Donnie and Leo chorused, and Alex flushed in embarrassment.

"I- I haven't sang in front of anyone in years," she said, flustered. "And I don't have any musical accompaniment so my voice would sound flat."

"Oh who cares?" April said, waving a hand at her.

"C'mon, Alex!" Raph said encouragingly.

She was shaking her head again when Donnie grabbed one of her hands in his. "Please?" he pleaded softly.

"Oh alright!" she relented, and they all cheered. "But don't judge me too harshly."

"_Never_ would I do such a thing," Mikey said, an evil grin on his face. Guessing at his game, she frowned as she concentrated.

"This is one of my favourites," she said quietly.

They stilled, their eyes locked on hers as she slowed her breathing. When she began to sing, her voice was clear and high, resounding around the room like a bell.

"In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,  
Earth stood hard as iron, and water like a stone;  
Snow had fallen,  
Snow on snow on snow on snow,  
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,  
Cherubim and seraphim throngéd the air;  
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,  
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?  
If I were a shepherd, I'd bring to him a lamb;  
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;  
Yet what I can I give Him?  
What can I give Him?  
I'd give to him my heart."

The room was hushed as her voice quieted, everyone regarding her with new respect. Finally Casey began clapping his hands softly, and the others followed. She leaned back against Donnie, cheeks still red.

"It's not my best," she said lamely. "I haven't practiced in ages."

"If that's not your best," Mikey sniffed, "then I'd hate to see what you'd do to me if you sang _more _perfectly."

"That was beautiful," Leo said, his brow furrowed as he stared at her seriously.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"Well, it's settled," April said, smiling. "Alex singing for us is a new Christmas tradition."

"But-," Alex started, then chuckled when everyone roared in agreement.

Donnie buried his nose in her hair. "Precious, that was beyond words," he murmured, and she flushed again. "And I don't even like Christmas music."

"So who spiked the eggnog?" Mikey asked, grinning at his empty cup.

"Casey!" April frowned, glaring at him, but he ignored her angry look and fell over against Raph, laughing.

"Again?" Leo said, looking down at his cup in dismay. "Casey, you said you wouldn't do that again last year."

"Well that was last year," Casey grinned.

"No more for me," Donnie said, his eyes drooping. "Damn, I've already had four cups. No wonder I'm so warm."

April stood, marching over to Casey who scrambled away from her. Everyone cheered her on as she chased him dizzily around the living room, the effects of the alcohol slowing them both down.

They spent another hour at April's before Leo finally called it a night. Alex and Mikey were nearly asleep as it was, and he was certain Splinter had nodded off once already. After many goodbyes and promises to call April once they were home safely, they stumbled out into the bitter cold, huddling to stay warm.

* * *

[Author's Note]  
Screw sleeping! The story is almost done and I might be able to finish it tonight oh boy oh boy I hope I don't pass out! *hyper hyper*  
Music nerd alert: Alex sang a non-traditional version of 'In the Bleak Midwinter', arranged by David Haas. It's the only version I learned when I was in choir as an early teen... I never knew there was a 'traditional' arrangement until I was much older!


	50. Chapter 47  final

Disclaimer & Warnings:

Surely you know them all by now… :3

Chapter Forty-Seven

"Where are we going?" Alex whined as she carefully climbed the ice-limned ladder. Donnie was above her, clearing the snow from the steps.

"I told you, it's special," he said, pausing to look down at her and grin. "Trust me."

She muttered something he couldn't hear and they continued upwards.

It was the night after the big snowball fight, and Donnie had asked Alex if he could take her on a date. She had eagerly agreed, but had lost some of her enthusiasm when he'd told her to bundle up against the cold. Now they were out on some godforsaken abandoned building, climbing on what seemed like a never-ending precarious ladder.

"Are we almost there?" she pleaded, and finally he nodded back at her.

"Almost! Two more flights!"

"It's a good thing I'm not scared of heights," she mumbled.

Finally they reached the top, and Donnie pulled her up beside him onto a small patch of roof. "Keep your eyes down, I don't want you to see this until you're up here," he warned.

She complied as she scrambled up beside him, keeping a firm grip on his arm.

"Okay…" He paused for effect, then swept his arm in front of them. "Look."

Alex glanced up, then gasped.

It seemed like all of New York was spread beneath them, stretching for miles, twinkling with a hundred thousand multicoloured lights as the half moon floated in the sky. The beauty took her breath away.

"It's amazing," she whispered, clinging to him.

"This is our favourite lookout point," Donnie said, smiling at her. "I know Raph said he was going to show you when you first came to stay, but I figured he'd forgotten by now. Come over here." He led her to a crumbled half-wall and they sat down, leaning back against it.

"So beautiful," she murmured, curling into his embrace. "It brings tears to my eyes."

"I'm so glad you like it," he said softly. "It's worth the climb, don't you think?"

She pressed her head against his chest. "Most definitely."

They sat quietly together, drinking in the sight of the city, wrapped in their own thoughts. They were so far up all they could hear was the sound of the whipping wind, giving the city an eerily beautiful silence.

"Donnie?" Alex finally said, breaking the peaceful spell.

"Yes, precious?"

"I love you, honey," she said, snuggling closer.

"I love you too," he said, his voice strained with emotion.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," she sighed happily.

Donnie blinked, feeling his eyes moisten. "So are you, precious. My precious, precious Lexi. Now that I have you, I cannot live without you."

"You have me," she said, her voice a whisper again.

They shared a tearful, happy kiss as the silent city lights winked at them.

* * *

"So why'd you let Donnie skip patrol tonight?" Raph asked, trying to sound casual as he and Leo walked through the sewers.

"He had something special planned," Leo said. "For Alex, I think. I assume it's something for Christmas."

"Ah." Raphael kicked at a piece of gravel. "Too bad Mike's sick."

Leo sighed. "We tell him repeatedly to take a shower after being out in the cold. It's his own fault."

"Yeah, he knows it, Leo. Don't ride him too hard 'bout it." Raph glanced around, then grabbed Leo's arm. "C'mere."

"Why?" Leo asked curiously as they ducked into a side entrance.

"Just c'mon," Raph sighed, leading him away from the main tunnel. They ran for several minutes, finally stopping when they came to a dead-end. Light from above shone in wide strips on the floor from the lined gate above the circular room.

"What's here?" Leo asked, but Raphael shook his head, sitting on the curved floor and beckoning Leo down to him. He complied, and then smiled when Raph wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him to his side.

"I found this place a few months ago when I left in one of my rages," Raph explained quietly. "I'd come here to try to calm down. Try to not think about you." He flashed Leo a smile. "Now I can _bring_ you here an' think about you all I want."

Leo chuckled, melting into his embrace. "Who's the sap now?"

"Shaddup. Enjoy the moment."

"I am," Leo sighed happily. They quieted, looking up through the slotted grate.

"Raph?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll ever say those magic three little words?"

Raphael snorted. "No."

"Why not?"

Raphael turned his head to look at Leo, who stared serenely back. Sudden panic gripped Raph, and his eyes widened. "I- I mean- Are you sayin' you want me to-,"

"No, Raph." Leo chuckled again. "I was just making conversation. I've been wondering that ever since I heard Donnie tell Alex that the other day."

"So… you do _want_ me to say it?" Raph said, confused.

"I'm not implying anything," Leo said patiently. "It just popped in my head and I spoke. I'm trying to do that more. To tell you what I think instead of you having to guess. Goodness, Raph; relax." He tightened his arms around Raph's chest.

"W- well, good," Raph stuttered, his brow furrowed. "Cause I don't think it needs to be said."

"I agree," Leo murmured, and Raph glanced at him again, startled this time.

"Why?"

Leo smiled up at him, his dark eyes soft with emotion. "Because words are just that- words. We've already said it many times over with our actions."

"Exactly," Raph said quietly, tracing the line of Leo's face with his thumb. "But I'll tell you every damn day that I'm yours."

"And always will be," Leo whispered back, smiling.

-Fin


	51. Thank You

Wow. It's finally finished.

Well, sorta. I've got two sequels planned- but they're each going to be short. Then a new story will follow… But AHEM. THIS story is now done.

It's confession time, dear readers. Hold onto your hats.

Y'see, I'm Alexandria.

Some of you may've guessed it- a few of you already did- but I tried to not make it overly obvious.

There's only a few changes between Story Lexi and Me Lexi, but barring that (and sadly not dating Donatello), she is I and I am she.

This story began as personal therapy for me to get over some very shitty relationships I'd kept myself in. But it built beyond that as I wrote more and more, bringing in my problems relating to my mother (who is very much alive, I might add), my repeated waves of night terrors, and- perhaps most importantly- dealing with the loss of my infant brother and sister as a child, and my intense hatred of the Christmas holiday as a result.

I haven't had night terrors since I wrote the chapter where Raph finds Alex frozen in her bed.  
I was able to have the first peaceful Christmas this year (2010) since I was eleven. I'm 27 now.

I almost didn't post this on FFnet- I was extremely scared, since the story was so personal. I finally compromised and decided to not let on that I was the OC, figuring a few people might drop by and get a few moments of enjoyment from my story. After all, that's what writing and art are about- sharing, touching other people. I believe any artistic creation, no matter how beautiful, is meaningless unless it is shared. That is what finally gave me the courage to reach out, on my own, to the public.

I want you to understand, _every_ reader who has come to read my story, and the blessed ones who took the time to leave a comment, have inspired me beyond words. YOU, sitting there reading these words.

Here I was, feeling ugly on the inside and out, feeling useless and uninteresting; yet you showed me that this Alexandria is a neat person that other people enjoy being around. I confess many times I cried over the sweet words about Alex that people gave, because in truth you were telling me that about myself. Mere words cannot express my gratitude and sheer joy you've given me. You are anonymous, you don't know me; yet you gave me back the truth about myself with no thought of getting something in return.

_Thank you,_ from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could give you back tenfold the happiness you've given me. I am eternally grateful, for you've helped me rediscover myself and give my life new purpose, new direction and new meaning.

* * *

To Saya, Casey, lil151/emo, Mutant Rebel, ninjalover13, Ilovehugs94, Piratecheif, Curly-Mop, Emily-twilight and Estar;

Bless you beautiful people. For you _are_ beautiful, inside and out. I thank my lucky stars I published this story just so that I could reach out to you, and you reached back.

Stick around for sequels! I hope I see all my wonderful new friends there, and I hope I don't disappoint you! :3

Much love, luck, and lollipops,

-Lexi  
cndrow  
P.S. Email me anytime, dear friends. And I consider you a friend if you've slogged the entire way through my story!  
cndrow(at)gmail(dot)com


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